Pick-Pocket
by PKWolf014
Summary: Berk is without a heir. Stoick's son went missing thirteen years ago and there's been no trace of the Haddock. When Berk's teens find a half dead teen on the shores of their home isle, they're a little closer to their lost heir than they think. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: For those who read the original and wondering why this isn't called a re-write is because, I am deeply ashamed to admit I wrote the first version. So, for those of you first joint. Welcome to the world of Pick-Pocket! Swash buckling pirates, danger Night Furies action all around! :D**

 **I hope you enjoy this!**

 **disclaimer: I own nothing!**

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Chapter 1: Leaping

They say that if you try hard enough, you can fly.

Open your wings and soar forward, never touching the ground, powerful muscles beating and working, stretching and twisting almost painfully, but they'll never fail you. Not once, not _ever_. Faster than a dragon, longer than a bird flying for migration, further than the edge of the world. Openly joining the skies and clouds.

The key word: _Try_.

There isn't a guarantee.

I haven't found my wings.

I borrow flight, but the wings never stay open, ready for me to fly, ready to help me soar across the sky forever. I have little snippets of flying, freedom briefly in the clouds before it's ripped away from me mercilessly.

Life isn't fair.

But I'd never go out and yell it at the top of my lungs, why shout out what I already know to be so painfully true? Honestly, it wouldn't do much except attract odd stares and attention I don't want. I'm a warrior and a thief, a criminal. Attention is the last thing I need, have, or want. It's not going to get me anywhere, so I'll stay what I've been named: _thief._

I can steal boots off a man's feet as he's walking and he'll carry on like normal, not even noticing until he steps on something sharp, but I can't seem to steal my freedom. Who ever came up with the idea that you can fly, must have been delusional, deranged, or down right mad. It's become quite clear to me, flight can't be stolen, only borrowed briefly.

The wind whips through my frozen hair, whacking against my cold limbs and blowing my coat away from my thin, bleeding shoulders. My fingerless gloves do little to protect against the freezing weather, the wind and rain beating down on my fingers.

"FREEBIRD!" A voice roars angrily behind me.

No.

I look back, my bangs flying in front of my face, obscuring my vision, but I can see blurrily at least a dozen figures chasing after me up the hill. I wrap my arms around myself in a tight hug and pick up the pace my peg leg hardly touching the ground. The distinct click the peg leg makes on the ground echoes in my ears and I let out a panicked breath, trying not to hyperventilate.

No doubling back now.

I have to leave Toothless.

My dragon, my other half, my best friend. He's waiting for me. I can't stay away forever.

My breaths hitches and thunder rumbles overhead, lighting crackling in the sky as it rips the clouds open. My gaze flickers briefly upwards towards the clouds but I can't see anything through the choking blackness of the night.

"YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER!" The voice roars again.

I have to.

I can't stay here.

Not anymore.

My lips part, a shaky breath leaving my mouth.

My back pulses with pain, the thick black pirate coat draped around my shoulders doing nothing against the beating rain and howling wind. My foot slips slightly a terrified yelp leaving my lips, I snap my head around and watch as a rock falls off the side of the cliff. I back away from the roaring waves and look forward watching the advancing torches draw nearer.

No.

No.

No!

I won't go through it again.

I _can't._

I scan around myself hoping for an alternative to leap from the ground and appear before me, shouting _'this is the way to go'_. The torches draw closer and all I can hear is my heart beating in a panicked rhythm in my chest.

"There!" Someone shouts. Several figures rush forward and I back up again, my boot hitting the end of the cliff.

"Well, well, well. You think you can run from this?" A voice asks. I look up, my green eyes I'm sure are widened as large as they can go. I force a breath letting my hands slip away from my upper arms.

"No." I whisper. I can't run.

"Come now and we'll go easy on ya'. Alvin won't be pleased." Savage growls lowly. He draws his sword and the rain beats down on the metal with a clanking sound. My breathing hitches and I swallow the lump in my throat.

"I-I.." I stutter no words leaving my tongue.

"You won't escape this, boy." Savage growls advancing slowly. The rain beats down harder and I take in a breath. I have to. I will. I glance back at the cliff's edge. I shouldn't, it's the stupidest idea sense trying to convince Alvin I won't train his dragons.

"I've been escaping for years." I say my voice barely over a whisper. My back pulses with unbearable pain and my breath hitches. Savage and the other Outcasts storm forward. Now or never, I look back down at the ocean. Outcast Island is a volcano and rocks poke from the ocean, surrounded by arches and sea stacks, leaping safely off a cliff's edge is impossible.

"There's nowhere left to run, runt." Savage growls.

I look back at the frigid ocean below.

"You're right." I say my voice suddenly steady, I turn and throw my arms open, my back twisting with pain. I close my eyes tightly and force it to the back of my mind, I give a half glance back at the Outcast, "See you in Valhalla!" I yell and jump off the edge.

"HICCUP!" Savage shouts behind me, his voice echoing before I hit the water. The salt and fresh wounds on my back don't agree in the slightest and a scream escapes my lips, drowned out by the ocean. I shove my way towards the surface and break it, taking in several gasping breaths before my vision starts to blur.

No!

I have to stay awake. I have to get Toothless away from Alvin. My eyes slip shut and my consciousness departs from my body without my consent.

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 **Author's Note: I cant give confirmation of fast updates until my AU the Snow Queen is done. If any of you have written up an episode, you know how much work it is. I mean, RTTE is killing my brain then dancing on its grave. Anyway, this has been wandering through my head since May..ish, the world, plot and my writing style are better and more devolved. I hope you enjoyed this and until the next chapter! :D**

 **Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: :D Another chapter yay! :)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

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Chapter 2: Finding Death

Every part of me feels frozen.

The waves beat around me, the thick water lapping around my boot and peg leg in a continuous repetition. My hands grasped firmly around the piece of driftwood that has been my lifeline for the last few hours, days? Week? I can't remember anymore. Just more and more water with a large quantity of cold poured on top.

My fingers grasp around the cold sand under my fingers my body to physically worn to do anything but lay there like a frozen corpse. The water pushes up above my shoulders and I feel myself jerk slightly. No, no, no, no. I am not spending anymore time in the ocean! If I don't move me and the large span of water will once again meet. I force my eyes open blinking rapidly at the rising sun in the distance the light messing with my eyes so used to darkness.

The light is spreading across the beach in a cheery manner as if there is nothing wrong with the world, nothing dark or painful about a new day. Ha. I grab the sand tightly in my palms the grains pushing against the fingerless black gloves on my hands.

 _Sit. Up._

My limbs ignore the command and I release an annoyed breath shoving my palms onto the sand and push up against them. The pain that spreads across my entire frame is incredible, like someone taking several knives and stabbing me in different places at once then repeating the process. A pained cry escapes my lips and I bite my tongue to withhold it.

I crawl forward, every part of me begging me to stop as the wounds across my back split and reopen everything stinging again. After a few more feet my arms give out and I fall forward on my side, eyes closing tightly as I try to bury the pain. Come on, move, move, move! I can't, I literally can't.

I can't leave Toothless on Outcast Island! I refuse to. Yet my entire body has different plans. I shove my hands down again and prepare to shove myself upwards again but collapse my consciousness gone before I hit the sand.

 _Astrid,_

My first instinct is to scream. I am no stranger to injuries, blood, and broken bones, I grew up in a society where said things are praised even encouraged but nothing gave even a hint of preparation to what I see.

The sun was well on it's way down when I decided to go for a walk along the beach looking for anything that washed up from the recent storm, sometimes there's some really cool stuff, I swear I found a pair of Zippleback boots at one point. The other teens, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout, and Fishlegs had decided to join me. Sometimes they drive me crazy, Snotlout on his own, has the ability to drive people mad with a single sentence. He's one the worst filters I know yet he seems to believe he is the best and is determined to win my heart over but failing miserably. He's a Jorgenson and by design, Hofferson's hate Jorgensons.

It's been over two years since I won dragon training and the dragon raids that used to cover the island every week or so have died down more to every two weeks or once a month. No one's entirely sure why, but I'm okay with it. The stress of not getting blasted apart is nice to be without.

"As I was saying, I told them to say that-" Tuffnut starts to say. He and his sister have been babbling about completly useless things as long as we've been on the beach and it's getting annoying. I lift up a hand and the two silence immediately.

I suck in a breath to withdraw my scream of horror as I look forward. In the dimming light I can spot the silhouette of something lying on the beach. It looks like a body. Someone dead washed up on the shore of Berk! "What is it?" Fishlegs asks and I lower my hand slowly before pointing forward towards the person, no words able to escape my lips. Nothing can explain my horror, dead. The other teens follow my gaze and Fishlegs sucks in a sharp breath. "Oh Thor." He breathes. I look forward, I have a much, much more better curse we can throw out there. The twin's babbling stops and they look over the mace Snotlout's holding dropping into the sand with a soft thump. "What do we do!?" Fishlegs squeaks.

"I-I...we need to see if it's alive." I say shaking my head slightly before moving forward towards the person. The other teens stand there for another second before they move forward towards me as if pulled by a thick string. I take in a deep breath as we draw closer, the sunlight steadily disappearing but not fast enough for me to not get a good look at him. He's wearing a black pirate coat, hair in thick clumps with seawater. A piece of long red fabric is wound around his forehead and tied at the back of his head in a dirty knot. His eyes are closed and there's a trail of red following him from the ocean.

I suck in a breath before I fall to my knees stiffly and rest my fingers against his neck, silently begging for a pulse. I am not explaining to Stoick about a dead body on the shore. My fingers are shaky and his skin is so cold I almost want to rip my fingers away from him but force my hands to stay there.

 _Thump….thump….thump._

Weak, but there.

I release a relieved breath and the other teens look at me, "He's alive." I declare and look at him again. Surprisingly.

I shove my axe onto Fishlegs's chest and he takes the weapon before I move forward and grab the teen under his legs and shoulder lifting him bridal style. He lets out a soft groan and I turn moving back towards the village. "Um, what are we going to tell Stoick?" Snotlout asks after a few seconds of silence.

"We'll tell him-" I start to say but Tuffnut interrupts me, leaping forward.

"That he was attacked by a shark and we battled it off rescuing him from the giant fish's jaws. Now, as payment, he owes us his life-" Tuffnut says.

"Uh, no!" Fishlegs says firmly. Yeah, I agree with you on that one.

I look down at the teen again and purse my lips, he looks hardly any older than me. What was a seventeen year old doing in order to get injured like this? "Hey, you know what, I bet it was a wild boar attack." Tuffnut says.

"Where did the boars go?" Ruffnut demands sarcastically.

"Uh, duh, they ran away." Tuffnut says and I sigh kicking up sand slightly.

"Right." Snotlout agrees.

"Alright, not a boar, how about-"

"Tuff." I say my patience slipping away steadily.

"Oh okay, so you don't think it was a boat running over him either? No, alright. It was obviously a dragon-"

"Tuffnut."

"-with sharp claws. The...Sharpclaw." Tuffnut says and opens his hands slightly for emphasis. I roll my eyes and tighten my grip on the teen before we reach the docks. I freeze as I feel the heartbeat of the teen skip a beat. The other teens bump into the back of me causing me to stumble forward slightly.

I growl in frustration and look back at them. "Sorry." Fishlegs says.I toss my hair from my face and listen to the teens breaths before his chest starts to rise and fall in hitched, slowing breaths. "Odin's ghost, he's not going to make it!" Fishlegs says.

He is.

I tighten my grip on the teenager before I take off running down the docks and through the village receiving odd stares, many probably wondering why on Thor's name I'm carrying a person who through the village, and who is said person. I don't stop to answer questions just break through the crowds towards the village elder's hut.

I can't let him die. I just can't.

I see the hut in the distance a few minutes later and look down at the teen again, his breathing is raspy, his chest shaking as if every inhale he takes hurts. It might, oh Thor if he has any broken bones I've just made it ten times worse. Way to go Hofferson.

I shake my head and reach the foot of Gothi's hut. "GOTHI! GOTHI!" I scream as I pound up the steps. Please be here! Please be here! I chant silently in my head, I don't know where else she would be. I reach the top and stumble into the hut where the elderly woman is stumbling forward staff in hand a startled look on her face. When she sees me and the person clutched in my arms her surprised look widens before she points to an empty bed.

I move towards it and rest the teen down on the bed, receiving a soft groan from the boy. Gothi moves forward and rests a hand on the teens forehead before she peels open one of his eyes. I back up and take in a few gasping breaths, Gothi is an interesting character, she's mute from birth but the best healer on the isle. Anyone who disagrees she deals with in interesting ways. Needless to say, she's worked up a name as the crazy old village elder you need to stay away from.

When I've caught my breath, the other teens, Gobber and Stoick break into the hut and Gothi shoots them a scowl before she returns to her patient. I look at the teenager before his eyes start to flicker the eyelashes splitting apart slowly a pair of unfocused green eyes opening before they close tightly and he goes limp again.

"Who is he?" Stoick asks and Gothi shrugs before resting a hand on his forehead. She scribbles something onto the ground and Gobber walks forward, stares at it for a second before looking back at us.

"She says we all have to leave if she can get anything done." He says and I bite my lip before Stoick rests a hand on my shoulder guiding me towards the door. Hopefully, he'll wake up soon and then we can figure out where he came from.

 _Hiccup,_

Cold, cold, cold.

Toothless.

My eyes are heavy but I shove them open and look up at the wooden ceiling. What? I was on the beach and the ocean-Oh! No! Please, please, please no! I cannot be back. I shove my way into a sitting position everything blurry, my head spins and my stomach has fallen to it's knees pleading with me to let all it's insides join the outside world.

I shove the feelings to the side and blink several more times my vision finally clearing. I'm on a cot, bandages wrapped around my chest and shoulders the coat around my arms as if it never left. The room isn't very big, several bottles laying around and several cloths stained red.

Red.

 _Toothless!_

I throw off the blanket and stagger to my feet wincing at the wave of pain that washes over me. Ow, ow, ow, ow! I move forward my bangs falling in front of my eyes. Where am I? This isn't Outcast Island or the beach I washed up on, really any isle I recognize. I shove the blanket being used as a door to the side and move forward into the main room of the hut.

Two men sit side by side both with mugs in their hands. I freeze in the doorway, my fingers scrambling for Inferno but no cold metal meets my touch. They took it. I shift my weight slightly and my peg leg squeaks loudly. Both men whirl around. One has a long blond mustache the other sporting a crazy thick red beard, each with Viking helmets on the top of their heads and a surprised look on their faces.

"You shouldn't be up." The red haired says finally.

"Toothless." I mutter.

"Did you just say, "toothpaste"?" The blond mustached one asks. Toothless! He's my dragon, my best friend, my brother! Figuratively.

I release the fabric and the "door" swings shut behind me. The two Vikings get to their feet and watch me with precise eyes, "I am Stoick the Vast, chief of this tribe, Berk and this is Gobber my right hook man." Stoick says and gestures to Gobber. Berk. That sounds familiar. Not in a good way.

I have to find Toothless.

"Who are you?" Stoick asks softly.

"I have to find Toothless." I mutter and they both take a step forward causing my heart to leap to my chest. No further! Stay away! I force myself to stand my ground and the two men share a look.

"What is your name?" Stoick asks. "Where did you come from, who are ya, lad?" He asks. Hiccup. Outcast Island. A pirate. Berk, Berk, Berk...Oh, them. Outcast Island's rivaling island, I'm sure it will go over well if I explain I'm from that isle. I remain stoic, not uttering a sound my thoughts racing through my heads. If I explain, they'll kill me!

My muscles tense before I drop my hands next to my sides and break into a run past both of them, "Lad!" Gobber calls at my back. No, no, no, no! I will not stay here! I have to get to Toothless. I have to get to him!

I shoulder the door open and stumble into the bright sunlight, my eyes stinging slightly from so many days of darkness on repeat. I stagger slightly my back pulsing with pain. "Get back here!" Stoick commands.

Ha, ha, no.

I stare at the stairway, spotting a rope hanging off the side of the stairway. I race down several steps grabbing the rope as I hear the two Viking's chasing after me. I slide down the twine hitting the ground with a soft thump. I release the rope and race forward towards the mass of people, shoving down the panic raising through me at a large crowd, I run forward to it.

"STOP HIM!" Stoick yells and heads turn towards me.

Just stop!

I narrow my eyes and several people make a grab for my coat, arms and shoulder. I bank right, grabbing the edge of a applecart and shove off of it, flipping through the air and leap forward grabbing the edge of a house, my fingers scrambling for a grip on it. Come on!

My finger's grasp a hold and I tug myself upwards onto the building and look down at the Vikings staring at me with wide eyes before I get to my feet and race across the top of the building skidding down the slanted roof and leaping onto its neighboring one. "Get down! We aren't going to hurt you!" Gobber shouts as Stoick and he shove their way to the front.

I look at them and then turn my gaze to the villagers before I race forward towards the edge of the house and slide down the roof leaping off it and roll to my feet racing towards the docks. Not taking any chances. Without me, Toothless will have no one to get him from the Outcasts.

A blur races at the corner of my vision before something smashes into my shoulder shoving my back onto the ground. My eyes widen with pain and the limp arches tightly. My attacker, a blonde girl hardly older than me gets to her feet and looks down at me before the Vikings race forward and look down at me. I look at them and bite my tongue before I shove myself into a sitting position and stagger to my feet the girl's hand snapping outwards and grabbing my wrist before the idea to keep running pops into my head. I clench my jaw in frustration and rip my arm from her.

"Stay away from me." I hiss backing away from the mass of people my voice darker than I meant from the pain racing through me.

"Son," Stoick says and shoves his way to the front, "hear me out. You need medical attention, you shouldn't be able to stand. When you're free of that, then we'll talk about letting you roam free." He says and I let out a low laugh, sounding like I've gone mad more than anything else.

The Vikings share uneasy looks and I release an annoyed breath, I can't run from them, when they turn their backs again, I'll be gone. "Fine." I say through clenched teeth and move forward towards them. Toothless needs me. I am not leaving him again if this is the only thing I can do, so be it. I will not leave him, I refuse to let him go.

 **A/N: Yup, abrupt ending. I realized this chapter was getting super, super long. :D I give no date of the next chapter.**

 **Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I was working super hard to get RTTE season 2 done in my AU the Snow Queen. :D**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

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Chapter 3: Pirates

"Where are you from?" Stoick asks as he sits across from me. I lean against the wall on the bed looking up at the ceiling with my lips pursed into a thin, tight line. Question after question has been poured onto me but I haven't said anything. Stoick I can tell is beyond annoyed with it, though he hasn't said anything, it's really not hard to pick up on.

"A tuba." I answer dryly.

"Alright, odd name for an island." Stoick says and I huff softly. Stoick rubs his forward softly before looking back at me. "Lad, it will a lot easier if you would just stop ignoring our questions." Stoick says. I pull my gaze down from the pale ceiling towards the red hair and blink once before lifting my eyes back up to the wooden planks. Stoick lets out a frustrated sigh and I inwardly smirk, won't be much longer before he gives up and leaves me by myself again and when he comes back I'll be gone, heading towards Outcast Island to grab Toothless and make sure to properly avoid Berk for the rest of my life.

"Will you at _least_ tell me your name?"

I look back at him as the question reaches my ears and pull back across from the wood leaning forward towards him when I'm a few inches from his ear he tenses probably feeling proud he's finally going to get an answer out of me. Ha. "No." I say and pull back leaning against the wall.

Stoick's expression flashes with heavy annoyance before returning to the calmed I-am-patient one. I fold my arms across my chest resisting the urge to flinch from pain as the thick long cuts across my back stretch. "I know you can speak." Stoick says after a few minutes of silence.

Bravo.

You want a metal?

I release a soft raspberry and look him in the eyes his electric green ones meeting mine. "Will you leave me alone if I answer?" I ask and his eyes hold thought for a second before he leans back.

"Yes."

Good. Thor, this is getting irritating, "Fine. My name is Hiccup." I say and his eyes narrow.

"Hiccup?" He repeats.

"Great name, I know, it's not the worst." I say with a small shrug and shake my head so my bangs fall in front of the top of my eyes.

"Hiccup, where have I heard that before?" Stoick mutters and strokes his beard for a second before looking up at me his eyes wide. "Alvin's son. Your Alvin's son?" Stoick asks and I let out a hollow laugh like it's the funniest thing I've heard all day. I grew up on the streets of Outcast Island the only way I survived was by stealing things, Alvin's _son?_ That _, that_ amuses me greatly.

"Mate, I am a lot of things but that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." I say and Stoick's eyes narrow as if seeing me for the first time and his jaw clenches tightly, mustache twitching as he stares me down. I sigh slightly and drum my fingers over my arm several times waiting for him to decide if I'm lying or not. I'm not.

"Hufph." He says finally and rises to his feet all seven foot one towering over me. "I'm keeping an eye on you, Hiccup. Don't think this conversation is over." He says and I give him two thumbs up.

"Didn't think it was." I assure and he stares me down for several more seconds before turning his long cloak swishing as he turns. He grabs the edge of the fabric door and with one final glance back at me he leaves the room the fabric closing behind him. I purse my lips tightly before I lean forward on the bed the wood creaking softly.

I tense and when Stoick's footsteps continue forward I slide from off the bed frame and my foot and peg leg hit the ground with a soft thump you would have had to be listening to it to notice it. I get to my feet and purse my lips tightly at the ringing pain raising through me as I rise to my full height. Okay, step one complete, remove Stoick. Step two: Find a boat and get out of here.

I pull the black fingerless gloves up my hands more and move forward towards the door, normally I would wait until everyone is asleep but I know Alvin, and I know that patient isn't a strong suit of his. I have to leave as soon as I can, maybe find a map to snitch, I'm not entirely sure what direction Outcast Island is in from here.

I move forward silently and scan around the room looking for Inferno. I'm not actually sure where they would put it, maybe it fell out as I drifted-oh. Right. I didn't even have it on my person as I escaped, it's still safely aboard the _Night Fury_ waiting for me to come reclaim it. If Alvin didn't take it. Stupid boat.

I grab the edges of the fabric silently hoping Stoick left or has his back turned. The foggy light blinds my eyes briefly. They're used to the candlelight that's been illuminating the small room I was in as Stoick interrogated me, more like asked a million questions I ignored. I move forward releasing a quiet breath and watch as Stoick with his back turned talks to someone quietly.

"Gothi, I really don't know...He's an Outcast. Yet, his injuries." Stoick says and an older short lady looks at me her eyes widening but she doesn't say anything. I put a finger to my lips and move forward across the floor silently hardly daring to breathe as I move behind Stoick to the door. The older lady, Gothi I assume scribbles aggressively onto the ground and the Berkian chief looks over it. "A person is moving to the door…" Stoick says and I inwardly curse my fingers scrambling for the nearest weapon which is a long wooden board.

Stoick turns and looks at me, "Hiccup what are-not again." He groans as he sees me backing up to the door pointing the wood at him.

"Listen mate," I start and kick the door open with my prosthetic, "I appreciate your concern, but I have a ship to run, seas to plunder, islands to steal from. I don't have time for your interrogations." I say and Stoick's eyes widen. Before he storms forward and rips the board from my hands easily tossing it to the side. Oh boy.

He grabs my forearm and shoves up my wrist where a brand is burned into my skin, he drops my hand like it's poisonous and looks me in the eyes, "Pirate." he hisses.

I shove the sleeve down, "Still concerned for my welfare?" I ask dryly and he shakes his head slightly, "Hmm, thought so. Ergo, I'll be leaving now, savvy?" I state before whipping around and racing from the room breaking outside. I leap down several steps hitting the ground running, racing for the docks. Pirate. I will first and foremost always be that then a person. Impressive they didn't notice the brand earlier.

I smack into something and my thoughts slip away as I pull back and stare at the person. Blonde, axe on her back, blue eyes widened but narrowing, yup the girl who tackled me yesterday four others behind her. "Excuse me." I say and shove between her and the larger boy continuing down the dock.

"What the-Hey! Get back here!" The girl yells and I hear the sounds of her footsteps running after me, followed by four other pairs. Ugh, why are these Berkians so stupidly trustworthy, they assume because I'm injured I'm completely trustworthy, I trust one person and won't ever another soul. Toothless and him only.

Vikings dive out the way from me as I tear across the wooden planks the other teenagers gaining on me steadily. I need to a heads start on them, unlike them, I have wounds that are ripping open and the pain is enough for me to want to scream but I press on. I spot a part of the dock where the boards make a small sideways v and I grab the edge of the wood swinging off the side to the lower part of the deck.

Thunder ripples overhead and I glance up at the sky sighing slightly. Stupid weather. Of course it's going to rain, it's harder to sail in that kind of weather, hopefully it won't wrestle the sea into sinking the ship. I spot an empty ship towards the edge of the deck as the teens behind me start to yell at their fellow Berkians to stop me.

I trip several men as I walk past them and reach the empty boat running across the gangplank and kicking it off the side of the ship with the back of my foot. I reach the deck and pant for breath slightly before scanning the top of the ship. There's several weapons on the top, bags of food, it looks ready to go on a long expedition probably looking for Dragon Island, I find it humorous how many tribes still do that even though it's unneeded the Red Death is dead.

I rip a sword from the piles of weapons and slam it down on the rope keeping the boat docked to the harbor as the five teens reach the edge of the wood, the axe wielding girl stares at me as the boat starts to pull out from the dock before she takes a running leap and jumps off the side of the harbor. She sails as if in slow motion and her hands outstretched eyes narrowed with grace and unnatural strength she grabs the railing of the boat and her body smacks into the side of the boat with a thump.

Oh great. Fine, they insist on coming they can come. But they'll be stuck on Outcast Island, pity, I'm sure Alvin won't take them lightly. "Guys! COME ON!" The girl roars and pulls herself up the railing and into the side of the ship.

The other teens race forward each repeating the process for the most part beyond the male twin needing to grab his sister and when they're all safely aboard the girl pulls her axe out from her back and moves towards me as Berk starts to get further away.

The Berkians shout and point aggressively but with the way the wind is blowing we're quickly heading out and the island is starting to fade away. My hands fly up instinctively as the end of the girls axe hits my neck. "What do you bloody want!?" I demand and look at her.

She takes in several panting breaths her bangs falling over her left eye slightly, they're cropped above her eyes framing her face in a pretty way her eyes electric blue and crazy. "You can't just leave, we're _trying_ to help you." She says and I blink slowly.

"Oh, didn't realize that, drat." I say and snap my fingers.

"Astrid, maybe we should just head back." The larger blond suggests and Astrid pulls her axe away from my throat staring me down.

"You're right." She says finally and I smirk slightly as she turns around and freezes seeing that we're a long ways away from her home isle. Her shoulders tense before she turns and looks back at me.

"Don't look at me, milady, I didn't plan on taking any of you with me." I say and she scowls.

"Are you _mocking_ me?" She demands and I nod slowly.

"Yes."

She scowls and the other teens stand rather awkwardly in the background watching us, "Well you can either throw yourselfs back into the ocean and swim back to your island or you're stuck here, sorry mate." I say and turn away from her as she huffs angrily. I grab a rope to the sail and pull down on it releasing the fabric into the wind.

"You just stole a ship from Berk." Someone says behind me.

"Rather easy, I'm not impressed." I reply without looking back.

"We're not doing either of those thing." The girl says and I feel the pressure of her axe hilt on my shoulder blades causing me to flinch, she grabs my shoulder and twists me around smirking, "This is a Berkian vessel and we're Berkians, you are our prisoner." She says and I bite my lip tightly releasing a heavy annoyed breath.

Amazing.

Just plainly stupidly amazing.

* * *

"STOICK!" Spitelout roars as he bursts into Gothi's hut, several Vikings behind him including Gobber shove into the room. The Chief looks at them from where he'd been pacing. "Your stupid teenager took my son." Spitelout says and points out behind them.

"What?" Stoick blurts looking at the man with wide eyes.

"My son, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut just tried to stop that teen from escaping and he took them captive." Spitelout says and the Vikings move to the side as the chief moves past them looking out at the horizon where a boat is steadily growing smaller.

"He took a boat." Stoick states lamely.

"Yes." Mona Hofferson says.

"That wasn't any teenanger." Stoick says and rubs his temples groaning. He looks back at the other adults, "That was the captain of the Night Fury." Stoick says and there's several gasps.

"Are you sure? I thought he was well, bigger and buffer and well an Outcast." Gobber says and Stoick huffs softly looking back at them.

"He is. With that storm we won't be able to go after them now," Stoick says but looks at the other adults his fists clenching tightly, eyes narrowing, "as soon as that storm is over, we'll go after that Outcast pirate and kill him."

* * *

"You are the worst bit of sailor's I have ever seen." I note as I sit against several crates my hands bond together with some rope the five teenagers, Fishlegs, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout and Astrid as I've learned they're names are had found. They're making a giant mess of the ropes, the sail and really anything else the boat needs to sail properly, it's started to rain in the last few hours I've been sitting here, Berk is long gone, they're terrible sailing skills drawing them further away from the isle than closer to it. "I mean, have you even stepped on a boat before." I say and watch them battle the sail ropes again.

"Of course we've been on a boat before." Snotlout retorts and give me a long hard stare.

I huff softly, "Yeah? Could have fooled me."

"Shut it." Snotlout commands and I rest my chin on my bond hands cross legged watching them for a few more minutes through the rain.

"You know you're doing that wrong." I say and Tuffnut or Ruffnut I'm still not sure who is who whirls around looking back at me.

"We're doing it fine!? What are you a sailing master?" They demand.

"No, but I can in the least, get the boat to go where I want it to." I say dryly.

"Okay fine, name one thing that we're doing wrong!" Astrid commands looking back at me a frustrated look across her face matching more the name As-red than Astrid.

"I could name _ten_!"

Astrid huffs angrily, "Fine, what are we doing wrong?" She snarls.

"Uh, guys?" Fishlegs asks and I ignore him.

"Well for one thing, you could always try steering, there's a wheel for a reason-"

"Guys..."

"-and for another, you could try sailing with the wind-"

"Guys!"

"-Being honest, I'm not sure I can help you, you're beyond hope." I say dryly and the twins look over at me with a glare that could wither plants.

"GUYS!" Fishlegs shouts and we all snap our attention to him saying in perfect sync: "What!?"

"I really think we're going to hit these-" His sentence is cut short as the boat rocks abruptly we're all thrown onto the deck on our sides or faces before the wood creaks and thunder ripples overhead again. The boat splits down the middle rocks protruding through the vessel. My eyes widen before the boat tips in on itself and with equal cries of surprises from all six of us we hit the water.

It's frigid and I struggle with my bond hands to the surface of the water but can't. No, no, no, no! I can't have come this close, gotten this far to drown! I sink further the harder I struggle and I close my eyes tightly. This really is the end, I can't believe I'm going to drown, but there's literally no other way for this to go.

I'm sorry Toothless.

I am sorry I got us into this mess and I won't be here to drag you back out of it.

My lungs scream for air and I suck in a breath of water accidentally and cough up more taking in more choking breaths. My vision grows sluggish my limbs echoing it before I slip from consciousness, I doubt I'm going to wake up from.

* * *

 **A/N: Yay! Cliffhanger! Hope that chapter wasn't to terrible. =) I'll post the next chapter soon, within the next few days. :D**

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: =) Thank you guys so much for the reviews last chapter! It made me want to update faster! Thank you so much!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Crash Storm

 _Astrid_ ,

I break the surface of the ocean my hair sticking to my face as I take in deep breaths. Rain pours down on me and I scan the water looking for the other teens watching them all break the surface except one; Hiccup. He had unwillingly given it to us having to endure Snotlout's teasing for nearly an hour.

"Has anyone seen Hiccup!?" I demand and look at the other riders as they shake their heads water flying everywhere. His hands are bound you idiot! My eyes widen and I suck in a deep breath before I dive down towards the ocean looking through the blurry blackness that has become the water. I spot something steadily sinking and my eyes widen if possible, even more, I almost lose the precious air I've sucked in at the sight of Hiccup sinking through the murky blackness.

This is all my fault, it had been my idea to tie his hands together. Astrid you idiotic-how can you even walk in a straight line without falling flat on your face!? I push through the restless waves and grab his forearm my other hand jerking down to where a knife is in my boot. Generally I'll just use my axe but the weapon was on the boat. The boat that is now broken, smashed and sinking merrily to the bottom with this teen.

I rip the blade from my shoe and slice it down on the thick ropes wound around his thin wrists hoping to receive some sort of reaction from him. Nothing.

With panic propelling me and my own lungs screaming I shove to the surface and break it pulling Hiccup up with me. The rain beats down on me the force threatening to shove me back under the depths I just escaped from.

"Oh Thor!" Fishlegs squeaks as he spots Hiccup limply hanging in my arms.

"I can't keep us both up!" I shout towards the teens as the water starts to choke me. A hand grabs my upper arm and I whip my head around looking back at the twins as they both lean forward from off the large piece of driftwood they found and drag me onto it with them with Hiccup.

Fishlegs and Snotlout are already on it and I hardly give them any more than a glance before grabbing Hiccup's shoulders and shake him back and forth. "Hiccup! HICCUP!" I shout and watch his face.

No response.

Oh! Please! You can't be dead, I can't believe I just killed someone! Tuffnut moves forward and raises his hand before slapping the teen across the face. "TUffnut!" I exclaim my voice rising a pitch. Hiccup lets out several coughs, spitting out mouthfuls of water. He turns to the side hacking with the force to remove a lung or other important bodily organs. He lifts his head up and stares at us his eyes widening slightly.

"You...didn't let me drown." He mutters softly his voice hoarse but so quiet I nearly miss it from the thunder, rain and water rippling around us. I look at him in shock, of course we didn't let him drown! We're Vikings but were not heartless, or brainless, or soulless!

I purse my lips tightly before punching him across the arm, hard. He yelps in pain shooting into a full sitting position hand wrapping around my target as he looks at me with a disbelieving expression, "What! What was that for?" He demands.

I don't answer staring out at the ocean stretching out around us, "Do you think we're near any land?" I ask quietly and the other teens (minus Hiccup) twist around scanning around the large piece of driftwood for any nearby islands.

"Nope."

"Uh uh."

"I got nothing."

"This is bad." Fishlegs says finally and looks back at us, "I mean, there's bad and then there's really bad and this is really bad! Oh, what are our parents going to say!?" Fishlegs exclaims in a panicked rush.

Oh, my mom is going to ground me till I'm eighty four and then my uncle's going to double that time! I am never going to be able to leave the house again. Great.

"Nah, I think we'll be fine." Tuffnut says and I shoot him a dirty look.

"Yeah, totally." Ruffnut agrees and then her eyebrows lower in confusion the rain soaking her free hair to her skin and clothing. "Wait. Why?"

"Well, we're all alone on a raft, right?" Tuffnut asks.

"...Yes." Fishlegs says after a hesitation.

"Well, just call it a feeling, but it's the perfect time for a rogue sea beast to leap from the depths of the ocean and swallow us whole, picking us each off one by one." Tuffnut says and lifts up a hand one finger showing for emphasis.

"Yeah. That's a thought." Hiccup says sarcastically, he looks up at Tuffnut, faded eyes unimpressed, "Really instilling the confidence."

Thunder roars above us and I jump looking up at the sky as the rain starts to pour harder. Really!? Why! This isn't fair! We were just trying to help this stupid teenager who seems perfectly content drifting on this broken piece of the ship for the rest of the week. Ugh! I really wish I'd just let him take the boat and leave, the urge to tackle him is stronger than before but I don't. I don't know why, but I just don't. Maybe it's the fact that we're all soaking wet, cold, tired and know perfectly well that we could be on this raft for several days before we make any progress whatsoever on the whole land thing.

I sigh and tuck my head into my knees my braid falling apart and my soaking hair's falling in front of my face but I'm to tired and mentally worn to do anything about it. The wind picks up speed and I close my eyes tightly the rain making a soft metallic ting off my shoulder guards. I purse my lips tightly watching the silence fall between us.

Hiccup's fingers fiddle with the edges of his coat then his gloves and finally his other hand, seeming to be unable to stop moving. His eyes are closed as he sits cross legged his head bowed looking down at his prosthetic foot. I can't see his eyes but when I did see them for the first time is surprised me by just how dead they are. His spirit is still intact, and sarcasm, Thor he's sarcastic and I haven't even known him for two days yet. But behind the stubborn defiance, sarcasm, and raw spirit is nothing. It's scary.

What happened to bring that upon him?

From older men I can understand, but he looks maybe eighteen sixteen at the youngest. It's weird, and makes me curious, more than I should be. Thunder crackles overhead and I release a soft breath before burying my head in my knees again.

000o000

It's warm, dry, and feels oddly like little bugs crawling all over my face.

Wait. Bugs?! I snap my eyes open and jerk forward into a sitting position my hair falling in front of my eyes. I toss it from my face and look behind me my eyes widening with relief and joy. Land.

Sand.

I scramble to my feet and look around at the stretch of land, there's a forest thirty, forty feet ahead of me, the ocean is at my feet the sun setting merrily in the distance but the few rays still left warm my cold skin.

The boat.

I must have fallen asleep or something.

I whip around scanning for the remains of the wood that was our lifeline the last few hours and spot the other teens further down the side of the beach except for Hiccup. Oh, if he ran off, he better keep running; I am going to drag him back here by his ear. Twice.

"Guys!" I yell and run over to the other teens across the beach.  
Tuffnut and Ruffnut are side by side helmetless and Ruffnut's long hair is loose long waves spreading across the sand. "Astrid go away." Tuffnut groans and rolls over.

I move forward and stare at them angrily before kicking Snotlout's shoulder. He jerks forward with a yelp of surprise ramming forehead with Ruffnut who whips backwards instinctively smashing into her brother. Tuffnut's thrown forward and hits Fishlegs and within five seconds they all sit up looking unhappy, but fully awake."Hiccup's gone." I say and point towards the empty beach.

"Well I say good riddance to him." Snotlout says and gets to his feet rolling his shoulder.

"Yeah, even as much as I don't really want to; I agree with Snotlout on this one." Fishlegs says and I give an annoyed breath before resting my hands on my hips. I guess they have a pretty good point, why am I worried about it anyway? _We_ just have to find a way off this stupid island and since Hiccup is so dedicated to ditching us, we can leave him.

"You guys are right." I say after a few seconds of silence. "Let's just find a way off this island and get out of here." I add.

"Sure. I think the first thing we should do, is that of going back to the sleep." Tuffnut says and I groan gripping the bridge of my nose.

"Oh! We could try building a raft!" Fishlegs says with excitement perking up, "There's lots of trees here, we-we could build some rope and-" He starts.

"You'll sink like a rock to the bottom of the sea, mate." A voice calls out behind us. I whip around the other riders doing the same as Hiccup, tosses several pieces of wood onto the ground, small enough for firewood but big enough it could be something else entirely. He brushes his hands together and looks up at us.

"Wait. But you were gone." Tuffnut says and points at me, "She said so."

Hiccup shakes his head slightly his eyes briefly flashing with irritation. "How would I have gone? Tied sea turtles to my feet and rode them of into the sunset?"

"Yes! No-wait." Tuffnut says and pauses then shrugs, "Yeah I don't get it."

Hiccup leans down as we all move forward, he sets the sticks up in a fire building position and grabs a bottle from his coat pocket dumping a green slime all over the sticks before reaching onto his leg and grabbing a hilt of some kind and lifting it over the fire. He clicks a latch and I nearly leap backwards with shock as the gel lights aflame almost like an explosion.

"Whoa," Ruffnut breathes before she and her brother smash their heads together in celebration.

"That-that was amazing! How did you do that?" Fishlegs demands and sits down next to the flames lifting his hands over the fire.

Hiccup reattaches the blade to his leg and looks up as Snotlout rolls his eyes, "Who cares. All I know is that I was cold before and now I'm warm and toasty." He says sitting down next to the flames.

I watch them for a second before taking a spot next to Hiccup watching as he tenses slightly before seeming to have to will his body to remain calm and stoically stares at the fire. "Where do you guys think we are?" I ask after a few minutes of silence night falling upon us.

It was later in the night when we left on the boat last night, so we must have been on the island asleep all day or the storm was a lot longer than the hours it felt like, and it felt extremely long anyway.

"Dragon Island." Hiccup answers in a monotone and my eyes widen Fishlegs taking in a sharp breath.

"Dragon Island?" He repeats. This is bad, really bad. Wild dragons everywhere? How did we not get eaten or barbecued by one on the beach, we were easy prey for hours!

"Whoa, cool." Tuffnut says.

"No, not cool." Fishlegs corrects. "Do you know what this means!?" He demands.

Yes, it means we're going to be hunted across the entire isle for hours before being cornered and burned to death. I really, really wish I'd have some kind of sense and stayed on the dock. Impulsive is the last thing a warrior should be, uncle Finn would have thought it through even for a second, I just lept. Literally.

Tuffnut laughs, "No, not at all."

"But judging by your expression it's probably not something good." Ruffnut adds.

"I concur with that." Tuffnut says.

"Maybe something to do with the weather, or the sand." Ruffnut says. "Or perhaps it's just the idea that's causing him to panic."

"Oh _, exactly_ sister!" Tuffnut agrees.

"Will you two please shut it! I can't hear myself think." Snotlout groans.

"It means we're going to die! Our fate is sealed! Sealed I tell you!" Fishlegs shouts. Thanks Fishlegs, really instilling the confidence. Seriously, if I wasn't panicking before, I am certainly not now. The riders break into panicked shouts, Snotlout mostly groans after those words.

"Oh this is bad."

"I'm hungry."

"Whoa! I hope they eat you first."

"Yeah, well I hope they eat you first so then I'll have something cool to watch as I die."

"We need a way off this island."

"To the open where all the sharks and sea dragons can get at us, great idea, Fishlegs."

"SHUT IT!" Hiccup shouts and all the voices die. He rises to his feet and stares at all of us, "By the way you're talking, they'll hear us. Tell me, you were unconscious for hours on that beach, how is it that none of you we're attacked?" Hiccup asks gesturing back to the beach wildly with his hands. I-uh..hmm. Wait. His sleeve shifts upwards at his wild hand movements revealing a deep brand on his wrist a deep red P. Pirate.

We rescued a pirate, twice! He's a pirate. Pirate, pirate, pirate! I can't believe we didn't just leave him to die on that stupid beach. "You probably disgusted them and they ran off." I snarl. Also rising to my feet.

"Astrid…" FIshlegs trails off.

Hiccup's gaze whips over to me eyes briefly registering shock. "What?" He demands.

"Pirate." I spit finishing my earlier words. Hiccup's and everyone else's gazes fly to his wrist where the brand is showing in full glory. Hiccup rips his hand down on the sleeve backing up slightly.

Pirates are not welcome among the Viking society, people think, oh, it's Vikings; pirates are the same thing. They're not. Pirates are mad thieves running around the Archipelago thinking they own the place and plundering and sinking ships. Kidnapping murdering and stealing everything. If it's a larger group they burn down islands. Berserkers, look like cheery orphan adopters compared to pirates.

"You're a pirate?" Fishlegs breathes.

"Yes." Hiccup answers simply with little feeling despite his wild eyes.

"Oh great, we finally rescue someone and it turns out they're crazy!" Snotlout groans. Hiccup shoots him a scowl and I death glare him. He lied. Of course, now I know why and I get it, doesn't mean I appreciate it.

"I'm not just a pirate mate," Hiccup says and pulls the edge of his sleeve down more his fingers curling around the edge.

"Really! What else do you do, can you-"

"Tuffnut!" Ruffnut hisses at her brother.

Wait, Hiccup...Hiccup..Hiccup...I feel like I've heard Stoick talking about that man before. Outcasts was somewhere along the lines as well. I reach forward and snatch his hand grabbing the fabric from his death grip and roll the rest of his sleeve up to his elbow. A thin piece of red cloth is wrapped around his upper forearm with a bird in the center.

"Freebird." I mutter. The _Night Fury._ The captain of the _Night Fury_. The ship that has single handedly wiped out several islands, robbed others to their knees and attacked Berk without mercy for a while. Rumor is the captain is an Outcast, but the _Night Fury_ is hundreds of years old several names popping up as captain: Blackkilled, Whisperheart, Emptywind, and hundreds of others, Freebird being the most recent.

"Yes." Hiccup says and snatchs his wrist away from my death grip. "Satisfied?"

"Oh Thor." Fishlegs breathes.

"Oh." Tuffnut deadpans.

Hiccup stares at all of us for a second before he whips around and races towards the forest, the glint of his prosthetic quickly lost in the darkness of the night.

 _Hiccup,_

I don't look back at them my only desire to get away. Stoick was bad enough when he found out, I was nearly seventy two percent sure he'd take my head off right then and there. My back pulses with pain from the wounds whip wounds but I just break through the forest trying to make as much ground between me and them as possible.

I'm sure Alvin will be pleased to know, that as his taunting promised, everyone immediately hates me. He had a long laugh pressing the brand to my skin a few years ago. Something catches my prosthetic and I slip forward falling on my hands and knees with a soft thump. I stare down at my fingers watching the dirt for a second before looking up towards the stars starting to twinkle unlike last night; I was beyond a little sure that the ocean was going to swallow us all and when the others slipped into sleep I didn't, couldn't, wouldn't.

Freebird.

How terribly ironic, I am many things, but free is not one of them.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Ugh, this chapter is one of those ones where you have like waves of: WOW I CAN'T BELIEVE I WROTE THAT! And then: Oh, I cant believe I wrote that you know? I cant decide if I hate it or not. :)**

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Dragon Trainer

Hiccup,

I race across the forest ground my foot and peg leg making a soft pounding against the twigs and branches below them. Even though I know Berk's teens won't track me down, probably too disgusted with my identity, it feels like in mere minutes they'll soon be here to tackle me and drag me back to their insane group and island.

I don't want to go back, I can't. Toothless cannot stay on Outcast Island anymore, I refuse to let him.

I am finding a dragon and training it, then I'm out of here. Those five will probably drown themselves, I haven't seen such a terrible bout of sailors since Thuggory tried to take a lap around the Outcast Island and sunk his boat on the dock. Caused a few snickers I later regretted.

A ray of spines stops me dead and I freeze my upper body rocking as it doesn't process the command as fast as my feet. I whip my head left staring at the dragon as it breaks into the clearing squawking angrily. I lift my hands up backing up slightly as the Deadly Nadder circles me a pretty mixture of colors on its scales. It's a blue with yellow and red spreading across it's body eyes narrowed and angry.

Breathe, Hiccup, you got this.

I lift my hands up and start to move towards the dragon but her tail shoots upwards snapping out; the spines sail through the air and I roll away from the deadly colorful spikes as the Deadly Nadder races past me into the forest towards the beach.

Where the teens are.

I hate Berk.

They don't have any weapons, this Deadly Nadder will be the death of all of them. As if sensing my problem and feeling like it's their duty to make it worse a Monstrous Nightmare, Gronckle and Zippleback burst from the trees chasing after the Deadly Nadder, the leader of the small pack I would assume.

Even better.

I race through the woods heading back from where I came and run towards the beach breaking onto the sandy shore in a few minutes a warning prepared at my lips. "Guys!" I shout as I break through the trees to where the other teens are huddled around the fire, they whip around looking back at me with wide eyes that harden in a few seconds, "Listen, I know you don't like me but there is a wild pack of dragons heading this way-" I start in a rush using my hands and gesturing wildly before a thump sounds behind me.

The four dragons I saw in the forest land on the beach behind me hissing, "-and they're here." I finish and my fingers scramble through the pockets in my coat before I grab Inferno and lift the cylinder up backing up towards the other teens. "Everyone get behind me." I command clicking the latch and the flaming blade shoots from the hilt up towards the air.

I was beyond sure that it was in the Night Fury but as it turns out it was within one of the larger pockets of my coat when I finally searched them down along with a large bag of coins; that brought a smirk.

"What are you going to do?" Astrid hisses behind me as they scramble to their feet making sure to stay behind me; the only person with a weapon.

"I'm not sure yet." I admit watching the dragons move forward towards us venomously. I'm not really in the mood to take on four fully grown adult dragons right now but I'm not sure if I really want to train them either, four at one time is a little much with my state of health. Funny though because I'm a "dragon conquer" as Alvin has put and rooted into my head several hundred times after failed attempts of training dragons, well not failed, just purposefully _not_ succeeding in any shape or form.

Intentional failing?

The Deadly Nadder roars angrily breaking me from my thoughts as it swings it tail the spikes whipping through the air before embedding themselves into the sand in a near straight line towards my feet; one bouncing off my prosthetic. That was close, if Toothless were here, he would have leapt upon the Deadly Nadder...Shaking my head to clear the thoughts as my heart aches slightly I lift Inferno up trying reattach my focus point to the threat at hand.

The other teens back up slightly and I echo them as the Monstrous Nightmare lights itself on fire the coat of flames spitting out everywhere. The Gronckle bares her teeth and the Zippleback hisses lowly sparks leaping from the right mouth. The Deadly Nadder leaps into the air and releases another wave of spikes. I leap away from them the other teens scattering.

"OH THOR!" Fishlegs yells before he lets out a squeak and takes off down the beach screaming. He's quickly followed by similar reactions from Snotlout and the twins before all four take off down the beach.

"Guys don't-" I start to shout before three of the four dragons race after them. I stop mid sentence my hand outstretched and lower my hand biting my lip slightly. Idiots.

Astrid lets out a scream and I whip my head around as she tumbles backwards hand clutched over her upper arm. She hits the sand the Deadly Nadder roaring down at her prize. Ignoring the panicked shouts of the other teens behind me I race forward towards Astrid leaping next to her defenseless form clicking back Inferno and shoving it onto my upper leg I lift both my hands up to the Deadly Nadder.

She roars angrily but doesn't swing her tail delivering the fatal blow to Astrid or me. Inhale, inhale, inhale, you know how to breathe, you are aware. What if Alvin was right, what if- calm down.

I lift my hands up and advance slowly towards the Deadly Nadder letting her watch my every move, "Shh, it's okay, it's okay." I soothe and move past her blind spot directly in front of her nose and along her body towards her tail spikes gently rubbing them down. The Nadder tenses but slowly gives into my rub her tails lowering and her demor relaxing. I move back towards Astrid the Deadly Nadder's weak trust should be enough for now.

I lean down and hold out my hand silently asking for her trust again. Sometimes I think it would be better if everyone was a dragon, they're a lot easier to deal with than people. Astrid's eyes hold a level of pain but she stares at me then the dragon behind me her eyes wide before she takes my offered hand. I pull her to her feet and echo her pained face as my back stretches. I am never going to heal.

"Stay here." I command the blonde and she stares at the Nadder.

"But the-" She starts and I give her a look and she kills her sentence before I whip around and race towards the other teens nearly a good fifty feet from where I'm standing, the twins and the Zippleback the closest. I break into a sprint my prosthetic sinking into the sand slightly.

"Stop moving!" I shout towards both of the twins and they freeze looking back at me.

"What!"

"Are you crazy!?"

"Only slightly!" I answer and reach them lifting out both my hands the Zippleback stopping mid run in surprise the left head still looking ready to eat all three of us but the head on the right is disagreeing the two heads turn to each other glaring. I outstretch my hands to block the twins from advancing and to keep the Zippleback from eating them happily.

"Do exactly as I tell you if you wanna not die." I say to the twins not looking back at them my spine rigid as I stare into the eyes of the Zippleback it's four focused on me.

"For the first time since I've seen you, Hiccup, you have my full attention." Ruffnut promises behind me.

"I'm all ears." Tuffnut adds.

You two seemed perfectly in focus a few hours ago when Astrid was kicking me out from your small group.

"I want you two to walk forward with your hands outstretched and let the Zippleback touch them." I say and from the corner of my eye I see both their jaws fall slightly.

"Wait, are you kidding!?" Tuffnut demands and I shake my head. I back up behind them and give them a small shove towards the dragon. They both look back at me with venomous glares before the ZIppleback growls, they both tense and I give a small nod. The two siblings move forward hands outstretched, Tuffnut slightly ahead of his sister.

I bite my split lip tightly watching them advance, hopefully this doesn't turn up to be a terrible idea, seventy percent of the time it is, leaving twenty nine for complete and utter stupid ones; resting at a perfect one percent chance of working. And most of the time that one percent never wins.

Ever.

The twins look away from their hands and at each other as if when they get their hands removed to stumps, they at least want to know they're in it together. The Zippleback heads tilt slightly before they rest their open heads against the two twins' hands. They both suck in sharp breaths before looking at the dragon. "Whoa." Tuffnut voices.

No kidding. Toothless.

I turn and poke my head out slightly making sure Astrid is still in once piece, she is, standing beside the blue dragon. I twist around watching Fishlegs under the Gronckle's claw and Snotlout being tackled down by the Monstrous Nightmare. Pursing my lips and ignoring the pain at the movement I start to race towards Snotlout, "Ruff! Tuff! Help Fishlegs!" I shout and point towards the boy for good measure.

"On it!" Tuffnut shouts and gives a thumbs up racing towards the boy the Zippleback trailing after both of them.

"Snotlout! Do not move!" I shout towards him when I'm about ten feet from the flaming dragon and the pinned Viking.

"Ha! That's hilarious!" Snotlout retorts towards me as he struggles under the claw.

I race forward and jumping in a small front flip to gain speed I tackle the Monstrous Nightmare's horns shoving them to the ground. The dragon releases a happy breath it's claw snapping back from Snotlout. I release it's neck and take in a few breaths backing up slightly as Snotlout staggers to his feet watching me with wide eyes.

"You just…" He trails off as if he can't actually voice what he saw. He uses wide gesture with his hands and mimics my actions then folds his arms across his chest, "Of course it's nothing I wouldn't have done."

"Then why didn't you do it?" Astrid asks as she moves next to my side, the Deadly Nadder at her side.

"I was...busy." Snotlout answers and his face twists in annoyance, "Shut up, Astrid."

…

The next night, after spending half the day of putting Snotlout out-for the love of all things good he lit himself on fire a lot I sit around another fire, set by the other teens dragons, I have weekly gained Astrid's trust in the least respect, she and that Nadder, Stormfly are going places.

"I am starving!" Snotlout declares abruptly snapping me from my thoughts.

"I second that starving." Tuffnut declares and I groan softly dropping my forehead onto my hand. We literally just went fishing and fed the dragon's twice the normal amount any would get on Outcast..Stop. Banishing the thought to the darkest part of my brain I look up at them shaking my head slightly.

"Do you two do anything but eat?" I demand and send a pointed look in Snotlout and Tuffnut's direction, Tuffnut has dreadlocks, that is the only way I can tell him and his sister apart. "Seriously mate, you eat more food than Al-" I stop mid sentence biting my tongue and pursing my lips tightly.

"Than who?" Astrid asks and I tense ringing my hands together. Good going capt'n Freebird, funny you can talk yourself out of nearly any situation but you can easily give away literally anything with a slip of words. Well done. How about a metal?

I give a half laugh then clear my throat slightly, "Nothing mate." I assure and force my gaze down staring at the flames.

"Hiccup," Astrid says softly and rests a hand on my shoulder, I jerk backwards from her hand panic rushing through my at the touch. Astrid, it's Astrid, she'll punch me in the face but it's Astrid, it's fine. I'm mostly okay. Astrid pulls her hand back fingers curling inward as she stares at me with wide eyes.

I sit up straight and force my posture to relax, "Sorry about that, no touchy, savvy?" I ask and look over at Astrid who rolls her eyes in annoyance slightly at my antics. Everyone is quiet.

"Why were you on Berk's beach? Why did you was ashore on our island?" Astrid asks softly after a few minutes of listening to the dragons shift and the fire crackle. I look up slightly as a wave of memories crashes through my head:

 _"And now Dragon Conquer, you are mine."_

 _"Think you can run from this boy!?"_

 _"TOOTHLESS! Stop! Please stop!"_

 _"Teach 'im a lesson, street rat could use it." "What are you doing! No, please be mad at me take this out on me just don't hurt Toothless!"_

 _"You're pathetic, you know that right?"_

 _"There's an idiot at the end of my sword." "Which end?"_

 _"You can't even sail more than twenty feet without sinking the ship." "You wanna bet on that, I can make the whole island; you won't make it more than the dock." "You laugh now, runt, I'll sink you and your stupid little boat." "You may try."_

 _"Hold Toothless...NOW!"_

 _"Welcome back to Outcast Island, 'iccup, I was gettin' worried about ya."_

 _"You plan to steal for the rest of your life, ay? Then a pirate you'll be capt'n Freebird."_

 _"No one will ever trust you because of this, pirate, you'll be thrown from island to island, till you're back here, oh, you will be back."_

 _"SEE YOU IN VALHALLA!"_

 _"Toothless, I am so sorry. I failed you, both of us."_

 _"I will be back for you! I won't leave you! I won't let you go!" "How touching." "Touch me again and I'll take off one of your hands, savvy?"_

 _"Toothless!"_

 _"Toothless!"_

 _"TOOTHLESS!"_

"Hiccup!" A voice yells in panic and I'm jerked from my memories with a jolt my eyes widening as I stare forward at Astrid, her hands on my shoulders the other teens behind her staring at me with...concern? I've never actually seen a expression from a human directed at me with that. Stormfly nudges my back and I jerk forward slightly almost toppling over into Astrid's arms. I catch myself before the situation can become awkward and bite my lip slightly.

"It's really not a funny story, mate." I assure looking away from all five pairs of eyes.

Astrid moves her hands back sitting cross legged in front of me, the other teens sitting down in their spots, I snort softly, "Well since I have such a fine audience, pack your hankies, mates."

"Not funny." Astrid says dryly and folds her arms across her chest.

"Fine, alright," I agree growing serious, "It was the last flight. Like you all do know, I've bonded with a dragon. Toothless and I reign over the Night Fury, a ship Alvin sends his best sailors on to terrorize the Archipelago bringing him back goods and gold, Outcast Island is not a place where anything beyond death grows, almost everything they get is from trading. I stole the ship, Alvin's best weapons and quiet honestly crippled bits of his pride."

"Wait," Fishlegs says and I stop playing with the broken hems of my gloves to look up at him, "the Night Fury is ruled by different captains?" He asks, "I thought it was just one."

"Nope, you seriously think a hundred year old ship can have the same captain? Alvin wasn't even the chief who came up with the idea." I say and bite my lip. "Right, moving on, cutting the sob story, I was disowned when I was twelve, tossed on the streets to survive till I was fourteen and met Toothless. Then I blew up a giant dragon, lost half my leg and Alvin threw me in prison because I wouldn't train his dragons. The reason I washed up on Berk's shore is because I lept of a cliff to evade capture, nearly resulting in my death." I say and Astrid blinks twice the other riders taking in sharp breaths.

"Wait, so you mean to tell me, you lept off a cliff, into the sharp rocks and floated to Berk." Snotlout deadpans and I glance at each of their faces for a second before shrugging slightly and nodding.

"Pretty much sums it up." I agree.

"You weren't trying to get away, you were trying to get to Toothless." Astrid breathes and jumps slightly as Stormfly squawks. Keeps forgetting she's there I guess. We have a long ways to go before we take flight.

"We have to get him back." Astrid says with firm determination I raise an eyebrow.

"What caused the change of heart, milady?" I ask dryly.

"It's just-you could have left me to die out there when Stormfly was attacking me, but you didn't. You wouldn't leave any of us. You're no usual pirate Hiccup." Astrid says and I hum softly. I am not Alvin, I will not leave them to suffer as I watch, that's not who I am and will never be.

"Yeah, you saved all of us. We owe our lives to you." Fishlegs adds and the twins nod.

"Yeah! Cool! I've always wanted to be a pirate." Tuffnut says and I huff softly.

"You're not going to be one." I assure and get to my feet turning away from them. What if they turn again, what if Alvin captures them, what if we fail and they all get killed because of me, I'm willing to sacrifice myself that's it. For Toothless. "You do all realize this could result in death, don't you?" I ask still looking forward.

"We know." Astrid answers after nearly a minute of silence.

Amazing that. Dedication or maybe guilt.

"Fine." I agree and look back at them, "Get a good nights sleep, we leave at first light."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sorry for the time skip. :)**

 **Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Whoo, longest chapter so far! :) Sorry for the wait! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Reunited At Last

Hiccup,

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AHHH! OH THOR! OH THOR!"

"THIS IS _THE_ WORST WAY TO WAKE UP!"

"THIS IS AWESOME AND SCARY!"

 _"I. HATE. YOU!"_

"AHHHHHH!"

"Good madam!" I exclaim and look back at Astrid with an irritated expression as she lets out another long scream gripping my shoulders tightly. Stormfly banks right slightly and her bone shattering grip tightens. "Are you trying to break every ear drum I posses?" I demand rather calmly compared to the other teens screams of panic.

First flight.

Such a memorable moment.

Rest in peace my ears.

Astrid buries her head into my back finally silencing her screams, I am slightly impressed, she has a good set of lungs, I would have, however, liked to have discovered that a different way. Maybe being halfway across an island where it's a faint noise rather than my ear being a few feet from her screaming. The other riders let out a few more yelps as their dragons shift but for the most part remain silent.

After more than two hours after taking flight from Dragon Island, Astrid finally breaks the silence: "What's the plan?"

I let out a dry laugh, "Plan?" I repeat and look back at her from where I'm sitting in front of her on Stormfly. "I never have a plan, milady, let us go with 'winging it'." I say and her jaw falls slightly.

"Uh, you're kidding right?" Fishlegs asks with slight wariness. I shrug slightly tensing at the movment. Did I even think about the results on what would happen if I didn't follow Alvins stupid….Breathe, breathe. I'm pretty sure everyone here would prefer it if you didn't take their head's off. "So, I'm assuming you don't actually have a plan to get into Outcast Island." Fishlegs concludes.

I snicker softly, "Well if you have one, I'm open." I assure. A slightly awkward silence follows the comment.

"Ah! We could set ourselves on fire." Tuffnut declares cheerily.

"How would that help the situation?" Astrid asks drlyly.

"They will never see it coming, even I won't!" Tuffnut says chuckling.

"That is the worst plan I have heard all day." Ruffnut retorts.

"Oh, like you have a better one!" Her brother argues.

"I do." Ruffnut says and I look back at her, Snotlout, Fishlegs and Astrid doing the same all our expressions equally unimpressed. Even though I've known her for only a little less than a week, I do know that a plan doesn't actually exist. Seeing our looks Ruffnut folds her arms across her chest, "Alright, fine. I _don't_ actually have a plan."

"Told you!" Tuffnut shouts and Ruffnut immediately punches his arm. Tuffnut rubs the limb and scowls before shoving back at her. I turn my attention away from the bickering siblings. I almost want to say that those two are close enemies trying to take each other out rather than siblings showing affection-in a weirder way than normal.

Stormfly jerks suddenly and Astrid lets out a yelp her death grip's death grip tightening. My ribs heavily protest and I give a small grunt through clenched teeth. "Steady, girl." I murmur to her. Or I fear the loss of my in one piece bones. "Astrid." I gasp and look back at her, "You're killing my lungs, mate. Loosen your grip, savvy?"

Astrid releases her grip slightly and my ribs and back sigh in relief. "Thank you."

She cringes slightly, "Sorry."

After nearly another half an hour we pass the markers for Outcast Island water. I release a steady breath trying to calm my jumping nerves, last time I came here, I almost died. This time will probably be the same results. Astrid shifts her grip to solely my shoulders instead of any part of me she can grab and I tense slightly but force myself to remain slightly calm even though I'm sure the tension on my neck tells the whole story.

"So, what _is_ the plan?" Fishlegs asks almost carefully as if saying it just right will get him banished from the group. Get Toothless back and the _Night Fury_ and then...I don't know from there. The other teens can't exactly bring their dragons back to Berk, they and the dragons would be killed on the spot, then properly trampled a little bit.

"So can I ask a stupid question?" Tuffnut asks after I don't answer.

"You sure can!" Ruffnut assures and I resist the urge to snort but hear Astrid give a small amused huff behind me.

"Thank you sister!" Tuffnut calls cheerily before pulling their Zippleback, Barf and Belch next to us. "Alright, so when we get Toothless back, what then?"

"What do you mean?" Astrid asks twisting around to look back at him, eyebrows arched in confusion.

"Well, call me crazy, but I don't think Stoick is just going to let us waltz onto Berk with dragons and then bing, we're all friends."

"He has a point." Snotlout notes.

Yeah, and just voiced my earlier thoughts. Creepy how that works.

Everyone is silent.

"You know what?" I ask and they all look at me, "Just use the two words I live by: Wing it." Almost works every time, I mean, I _am_ still alive and have most my limbs, I haven't killed anyone yet. Well I don't _know_ anyone unless you count those who want to kill me, or those I've stolen from _then_ wanted to kill me, especially that crazy tall black dreadlocked Dargo Bootfist or something like that. He was not pleased when I raided him of dragons.

"Eh em! Earth to captain Freebird." Snotlout calls and I shake my head slightly snapping back into focus. "We're you even paying slight attention to what we just said?"

Ha, ha, no.

"Uh, sure. But just to make sure you understand, repeat it all I wasn't listening." I say and Snotlout gives an irritated breath before something rings through the air. My stomach twists in horrible knots; I pull up on the rope we managed to salvage from the wrecked ship wrapped around Stormfly for grip and she pulls to a halt the other dragons following.

"What are you doing?" Astrid hisses.

"Wait." I mutter.

"What are we waiting for!?" Tuffnut says but the sudden voice in the dead silent night is equivalent to grabbing a large horn and blowing in it, hoping that your close by enemies won't hear it.

I lift up a hand to silence anyone else before they decide to speak and look down at the island, less than twenty feet away. The setting sun in the distance does little for helping the seeing problem and I squint looking at the grey black island before a net and several bola's come rushing through the air. "LOOK OUT!" I yell and Stormfly jerks upwards at my shout but not quick enough.

Oh joy.

A net smacks into me, Astrid and the dragon below us as shouts start to ring through the air. "BRING THEM DOWN!" A voice roars and I let out a long yell as Stormfly starts to crash into the island, smacking trees, branches and other plant life.

Stormfly comes to a skidding halt and I'm thrown off her back, through the large net, hitting the forest floor sliding across it several feet. Oh, ow. That hurt a lot.

"That hurt." I groan and lift my head up staring at the other teens as they start to battle the Outcast ships and defenses and another fleet I can't place, Alvin was waiting for me. How did I miss that!? Stupid, stupid, idiot, vapid- focus now, insult yourself later.

I scramble to my feet and grab Inferno snapping the blade out and slice the flames down on the net, ripping it off of Astrid and Stormfly the twine still sparking slightly. "Go help the others!" I command and she nods staggering to her feet and climbs onto Stormfly's back.

"Come on, Stormfly!" She yells and looks back at me, "We'll wait for you!"

I take off running through the forest but twist around long enough to look back at her, "I know!"

I quickly tear across the dead trees with a skip in my step to prevent falling flat on my face, if I do, I'm not sure I can get up again.

I'm actually going to see Toothless. My brain just can't grasp this concept, it's been four months, four _months._ My soul aches to see him again, to hear his growl, feel his scales beneath my skin. Just to see him- if he isn't already dead. Stop it.

I move forward across the ground through the weeds and dead plants sticking up through the ground trying their best to trip me. It's almost amusing on how half of Outcast Island has life and plants the other half is very, very dead. Wonders of living on a volcano. An arrow whizzes next to my head and instinct takes over before my thoughts do. I leap left towards a tree, my shoulder ramming into the wood.

Ow. I hate wildlife!

I turn my head looking behind me as the several Outcasts there, lift their crossbows up preparing to fire. My eyes I'm sure pop slightly and I dive behind the tree hearing the five separate thumps as the arrow heads dig into the wood bark. I take it back, wildlife is amazing.

After waiting another endless second, I break away from the tree towards the cliffside the arena is under. The village is north of the arena, the mountains surrounding the small isle, dipping over the kill ring where most of the dragons are kept chained and muzzled, and unless Alvin was _really_ thinking, I doubt he moved Toothless anywhere else.

"GET 'IM!" The Outcasts roar behind me and I glance back at them watching the large figures barrel after me.

Great.

I pick up the pace, the edge of the trees coming within sight. A few more arrows land behind me with thick, heavy thumps causing my quickened pace to move faster. I break through the trees in a full sprint, nearly tripping head over heal as I skid to stop looking at the men in front of me. Armed to the teeth with large weapons I watch them wide eyed for a second as my lungs plead for air. Right, breathing, it's a thing.

"Who are you?" I blurt watching them for several more seconds. They are not Outcasts, wearing dragon skin on several parts of their large figures looking between a mixture of Berserkers and Outcasts lacking beards. I've never even seen anything like these men before. Ever.

The seven men laugh and I shake my head forcing myself to remain focused. Plan. I need a plan, winging it is great but I'd prefer not to die when I'm so close to Toothless. "Never mind." I say after a second.

"You should give up now, boy. Put your arms up and maybe we'll go easy on ya'." One of the foreign men says. Heavy footsteps behind me declare the presences of the Outcasts soldiers who had started the chase.

Slipping my hand into my coat pocket, I withdraw Inferno keeping the sword covered by the edge of the sleeve as I slowly raise my hands into the air. "Right." I agree and pull down on the latch releasing the Zippleback gas into the air. Ha, ha, ha.

Smirking slightly to myself, I duck as I click the latch the explosive gas lighting instantly. Rolling forward between two men then to my feet I look back at the Outcasts and their allies I would guess giving a salute as they cough. "Good day, mates." I say and race forward towards the edge of the cliff leaping off the side towards the overhang.

My fingers scramble for grip to the long metal chain extending over the top of the ring, used for pulling it up when and if they ever do. My fingers miss it and my stomach plummets to my feet.

This was a bad idea.

My hands grasp the metal abruptly and I take in sharp breath wrapping my hands around the chain stiffly as I slide down the linked iron hitting the top of the metal enclosure with a soft _ting_ from my peg leg.

"There 'e is!" A Outcast yells and I look up at them my posture dropping in annoyance. The Outcasts stare at me for a second and some of the other men turn racing down the mountain. Good plan, less likely chance of death. I mean, I barely made it. The other men turn chasing after their comrades as I stare down at the chain releasing a breath.

Battle sounds ring up around me distant but close, shouts of fury echo around the isle, light dancing across the sky like the sun. I owe my life to those Berkian's whether I want to admit it or not.

I stare down at the twenty foot plus drop maybe more my heart leaping into my chest as I hear a soft humming happy purr. Only one dragon can make that sound. A Night Fury.

 _Toothless_.

I snap my head down to the arena and see it's been redecorated, the dragons stand on the outer edges of the concrete prison, chained to the walls with thick bindings, muzzles wrapped around every jaw. I hardly pay attention to the other dragons my eyes focused and trained for finding one thing. Changewings, a Scauldron, Speedstinger, Whispering Death and- "Toothless!" I whisper my voice barely above a croak.

The Night Fury meets eyes with me, the toxic green full of so much life. I feel like crying out for joy and a small sob of relief chokes me slightly. I move across the chains like a tight rope throwing my hands out for balance, walking, slipping, sliding and nearly falling down towards a heavy splat of a death until I reach above Toothless.

He watches me with precise eyes and I can feel his gaze on me even when I'm not looking at him. I slide through the chains and grip them with my upper body before looking down at my best friend, "Catch me."

I release the chain and Toothless scrambles forward towards me with a small roar of panic. I land on the top of his head with a soft thump and slide off of it throwing myself forward and hugging Toothless's neck tightly. He returns the hug nuzzling my back. He's here. He's _alive!_ Everything is okay now.

Mostly.

I squeeze my eyes shut gripping Toothless's scales with all the strength I possess before pulling back. Toothless rubs against my chest and I laugh softly before getting to my feet. "I'm happy to see you too, bud." I assure quietly. Too long, far to long have we been apart, it's like someone finally clicked my broken pieces together.

I grab the muzzle wrapped tightly around his jaw and tug down on it the leather sliding from his scales slightly. I tug harder and after a second it jerks off, the force causing me to stumble back slightly.

I manage to regain my footing and move forward towards the other chains keeping Toothless bound to the wall. I scan around myself for a second before I grab inferno and pull the cylinder open, removing a thinner rod from the outward edges. I shove it into the locks and jiggle it around for a second. Come on, come on, the lock snaps the chain falling to the ground with a thick, heavy, thud.

YES!

After repeating the process a few more times, moving quicker, as I hear shouts in the distance, if I'm right, the run from the cliffside to here should only take about five minutes, I've wasted roughly four. The final chain lands on the ground with a thump and I release a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding shoving the rod into Inferno and turning back to Toothless.

The door to the arena floods open at that moment, Outcasts and the other soldiers pouring into the room like a flood. I bite my tongue heavily to keep back a thick groan.

Toothless moves in front of me, growling lowly, teeth barred, posture tense.

I shove the small latch down on Inferno and the burning blade leaks through the hilt happily rising towards the air.

I grip the weapon with both hands and move next to Toothless pointing it out threatenly. Can't we just have one stupid streak of good luck!? Why is it every time we take one step forward, we have to leap ten steps back?

"I wouldn't do that if I we're ya' 'Iccup." A nasally voice says bringing up a flood of buried memories I wanted to keep properly at the back of my head to never, ever think about again. I bite my lip as Toothless tenses beside us, panic radiating off of him. It's terrifying, when Toothless is afraid, he'll leap forward and tackle it head on, teeth barred.

Alvin walks through the men, a svelte man following after him. I take Inferno into my left hand and point it out at Alvin as he walks forward, "I-I wouldn't do that if I were you." I warn inwardly cursing at how small and pathetic my voice sounds.

"'Iccup, 'iccup, 'iccup." Alvin chants, Toothless hissing lowly as he takes another step. Alvin pauses at it, but carries forward until he's less than five feet from the edge of Inferno. "Give up now and I'll go easy on ya'; How does that sound?" Alvin asks and I snort, Toothless beginning to pace his agitation out behind me, close enough to almost be walking on me. The last thing Alvin will do is 'go easy'. I don't believe that is in the man's vocabulary. If he has one.

"Insane?" I offer after a second to his earlier question, "Demented, delusional, stupid?" I offer with a small shrug. Alvin's eyebrows meet, an ang _rier_ expression playing across his face the man behind him watching me nearly impressed. "Really mate, I thought you would know me better." I add.

Alvin moves to take another step forward and I lift Inferno up threatening, silently challenging him. He knows I will and can defend myself with it, he's both seen and tasted the weapon.

With a move so fast it's blurry, Alvin knocks Inferno from my hand with a firm meeting of his axe and snatches my forearm dragging me towards him. I yelp slightly and Toothless's eyes narrow to thin slits, his breaths coming out as small puffs of smoke through his nose. Alvin lifts a dagger to my throat the blade digging into my lower jaw. "Tell your animal to calm down." Alvin snarls into my earth his hot breath pouring down on my face. I flinch slightly and watch Toothless for a second.

Calm down so they can chain him again? Ha I don't think so. Even if I did tell Toothless to, he wouldn't listen to me. He isn't an idiot.

I give no reply and Alvin shoves the blade deeper the metal stinging. With a roar of fury, back arched, Toothless leaps forward and tackles Alvin to the ground me and the man tumbling backwards. Toothless fires several small plasma blasts at the Outcasts and their allies as I dive forward towards Inferno grabbing the hilt of the weapon and stagger to my feet.

"Toothless!" I call and race towards him, practically throwing myself onto his bare neck, "Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!" I chant and Toothless fires upwards at the top of the arena's ceiling before with a powerful leap, jumps off a Outcast's shoulders towards the newly created hole and through it. I duck into his neck gripping what I can of his scales, my fingers sliding back.

"STOP THEM!" Alvin roars.

Toothless's talons hardly touch the ground as he tears across Outcast Island, "Head for the _Night Fury_." I manage to voice through the heavy pounding of my heart. Toothless gives a brisk nod and if I hadn't been looking for it, or been so intune with him, I would have missed it. Arrows, spears and bola's are thrown our way but Toothless is a blur; the bola's even when thrown at a close distance miss by a good ten feet, the spears and arrows acting the same way.

I chance a glance upwards towards the Berkian teens battling the Outcasts and looking in dire need of assistance. After nearly two minutes I spot the dock in the distance, the wooden planks and boats next to them have never looked more welcoming.

So close, _so_ close.

Toothless leaps onto the dock, spreading his wings and glides down towards the ship he and I know by heart.

000o000

Astrid,

Exhilarating with a side of terror.

The best way to explain my predicament. The battle has been ongoing for about half an hour now and so far, we are losing, terribly. I'm amazed we've lasted this long at all. Stormfly banks right, pulling away from another round of arrows and I grip the rope wound around her middle tighter my fingers starting to turn a pale shade of white.

"Ruff, Tuff!" I shout in warning as a boulder flies up towards the bickering siblings.

"AH!" Tuffnut shouts in panic pulling Belch's head left, they'd named their dragon in the middle of the battle after a Dragon Hunter made fun of them for it. Barf and Belch barely miss the large rock and I give a satisfied smirk looking down at the fleet of ships my satisfaction falling as quickly as my smirk.

Come on Hiccup, where are you?

"ASTRID!" Snotlout yells towards me and I twist around watching a small valley of arrows heading towards me and my dragon. I give a choked yell of surprise and Stormfly twists around spinning to avoid the sharpened wood in metal, flipping upside down.

My death grip on the rope falters and I fall from her back heading towards the ocean below. My stomach leaps into my chest my eyes widening as my bangs fly away from my face a scream escaping my lips.

This is it.

After everything we've been through the last few days, I'm going to fall to my death. Funny Hiccup said that's how this entire mess started and how it ends for me.

A piercing scream like something battling heavily against the wind rings through my ears and I hardly have time to process what it is before a claw wraps around my foot jerking me from my descent. I twist my body upwards looking at the jet black dragon, "Did you get her?" A voice asks the sound of it causing relief to flood through me.

Hiccup.

Toothless pokes his head down looking at me and my face breaks into a smile as I stare at the gummy one he gives me. Toothless tosses me slightly switching his position so his talon's are wrapped around my shoulders and tosses me onto Stormfly's back before carrying forward, rider leaning into his saddle.

Hiccup and Toothless spin through the air as if it was made for them firing plasma blasts down at the boats with ease. It's obvious they've done this before, several times. Toothless barrel rolls and blasts on several ships before diving down and landing on one.

Hiccup looks up at us, a smaller dot from where he's on the Night Fury's back, he waves his hand for us to come down towards the ship; the way he's moving his limb seems to say that if we don't something very bad will happen. "Come on guys!" I shout and direct Stormfly towards the wooden vessel, the other riders chasing after me.

Stormfly lands on the boat as it makes it out to sea quickly getting from the range of the bola's, arrows, and other weapons the Outcasts and Dragon Hunter's have. Dragon Hunters, the thought is weird to me. Berk is an island that kills dragons for sport but hunting them, that just makes my brain spin.

Stormfly lands on the deck, followed by the three other dragons and I look at Hiccup. "What now?" I demand breathlessly.

"We head for Berk." He answers without missing a beat. "Once we're there, I'm not sure." He admits with a small smirk looking back at me, green eyes alight. The sudden life almost startles me, had they really been so _dead_ before?

Hiccup climbs off of Toothless's back lifting his hands up almost to calm him before climbing up the bowsprit and salutes the Outcasts close enough to us, one of the which I can see is Alvin. Hiccup's gaze lingers on the man before saying, "May you all remember this day, you _almost_ caught the captain of the _Night Fury_."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Make mock Pirates Of The Caribbean qoute check. *Checks off imaginary list*. :) :D this is currently at about 17,000 words which is almost long as the original was...it just barely hit the half way mark in this one. :)**

 **Okay next chapter, "If he dies, I die too" will be out as soon as I get it done**

 **Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Ugh, I HATE this chapter! So, so, so, so, so, so much.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Shout outs! (Never done this before but I felt like it today, probably wont become a regular thing. :))**

 **22ablanchard: You shall see... :)**

 **snoopykid: I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! :?) and ta da! Updated! :)**

 **MMM: Stoick isn't happy that much I can assure. Go on and read the chapter to see! :)**

 **Scarlet Lupin: Aww! Thanks I'm glad you're enjoying this! :D**

 **dracologistmaster: Ta da! New chapter! Read on to see how Berk reacts. :?D**

* * *

Chapter 7: If He Dies, I Die Took. 

Astrid,

After nearly half an hour after our escape from Outcast Island, I lean against the railing of the ship, Hiccup and Toothless studying a piece of paper, the pirate leaning against the _Night Fury_ both looking happily content.

I glance at the twins who are bickering like usual, their dragon mimicking them with his heads as Hookfang and Snotlout watch the ocean bordely Meatlug and Fishlegs looking through crates for something. Paper if I remember right. I stare at Stormfly for a second before I move forward towards Hiccup, he gives me a half glance before returning his gaze to the map. Toothless stares at me for several seconds and his tail wraps around Hiccup but he doesn't do anything else to say he's displeased with my presence.

"What are you looking at?" I ask and plop down next to him still a good five feet from Toothless and the captain.

Hiccup looks up at me before lifting up the paper and shrugging slightly. He immediately winces at the moment his face easily readable. I scan his features for a second. What is hurting him? Did he get injured during Toothless's rescue? Burying the thought to think about later I lean over his shoulder staring at the paper. It's a mass of lines and scribbles he's switching the directions of, his face twisting slightly as he thinks.

"What is that supposed to be?" I ask and he meets eyes with me.

"I'm not sure, it was in the captain's quarters, I figure Alvin thought it was important." Hiccup says and moves his hand up but gives a pained groan dropping the limb. Toothless looks at him sadly giving a soft coo. I watch Hiccup for several seconds.

"What's wrong?" I demand after a soft sigh. If he lies…

"What?" He echoes, "W-wrong? Milady, nothing's wrong." He assures and gives a quick glance towards Toothless as if begging slightly for the Night Fury to agree. I put a hand on my hip and Hiccup shoves the pieces of the map into his coat pocket staggering to his feet. Again a pained grimace flashes across his face deeper this time.

"Hiccup.." I start and he shakes his head.

"Drop it." He snaps.

I get to my feet as well, our conversation having caught the other teen's attention it's dead silent except the creaking of the ship and the splashing of the waves against the wooden vessel. "You're injured." I argue. Whether he likes it or not we have to help him, we all just risked our lives for this stupid pirate and his dragon I am not going to let him die and I imagine the other riders feel the same.

Hiccup takes a step forward as if to move past me but sways on his feet, "Stop, I...I-I promise you I-I'm fin-" His promise of lies is cut short as his upper body rocks before he starts to fall back.

"Hiccup!" I shout in panic and cover the short distance between us, catching him before he hits the ground and stare at his lax features, his clammy pale skin; clearly the rush of adrenaline that's been going on for several days finley wore off.

Toothless scrambles to his feet and moves towards Hiccup nudging his hand, the pirate gives no response. "Hiccup!" I shout and look back at the other teens,"Someone search the boat for medical supplies!" I beg and drag Hiccup a short distance before picking him up bridal style and walk towards the hull, the twins and Snotlout throwing off containers of barrels crates and anything else they can find for my requested material.

Fishlegs and Toothless trail after me as I walk down the stairs, "Fishlegs grab a candle." I order and the Ingerman starts to walk off and I pause for a second. Hiccup's flaming sword should work. "Wait," I say and Fishlegs turns looking back at me.

"Y-yes?"

"I think we can just use his sword." I say and Fishlegs nods. The bottom deck is empty until the back half that's filled with who know what stuffed in barrels, crates and some of it's just littered across the ground. Toothless stares around us for a second before he builds up a blast and fires it at several things, I duck my head to block the blinding light of his blasts. When he stops firing a warm glow dances across the bottom deck and I look up blinding several times before looking down at the unconscious teen in my hands.

When he wakes up, I am going to strangle him.

Twice.

I set him on the ground Fishlegs moving next to me. I stare at him for several seconds scanning for the injury that knocked him into unconsciousness, "Maybe he really did get attacked by wild boars." Fishlegs says and my mind flashes to our conversation on the beach a few days ago as we carried him towards Gothi for the first time. Has it really only been a few days? It feels as if that was weeks ago, maybe even months.

I roll my eyes slightly, "I doubt it." I assure.

There's nothing obvious he must be hiding it beneath his coat. Pursing my lips tightly I grab the edge of the black fabric and tug it off one shoulder lifting his head up so I can remove the whole thing and hand it to Fishlegs wordlessly my eyes wide.

Covering his shoulders and entire torso is thick bandages stained red. Who ever did it obviously was in a hurry, it's wrapped on the outside of his deep green shirt tight enought to have stayed on but how did I miss it!?

We've been around Hiccup for _days!_

He's a master at hiding things. I didn't even notice he was in pain until today.

Toothless growls softly and curls up next to Hiccup shoving under his limp hand eyes big and puppy like as if being cut will wake his rider. I'm not sure I want him to be awake. At least not now.

"What do you think happened?" Fishlegs asks quietly. The sound is equivalent to a dragon attack as it breaks the thick silence. I shake my head as an answer and twist around as down the other teens stomp down the stairs.

"WE FOUND THE BANDAGES!" Tuffnut yells happily and races towards me long white sheet flying from his hand.

"And gauze!" Ruffnut adds.

"Two for one deal." Tuffnut finishes the siblings sharing a chuckle.

"T-that's great." I agree and turn back towards Hiccup. I lift up a hand and there's a second before Tuffnut throws the bandages into my hand. I turn towards the pirate and set the fresh bandages on the ground, starting to unwrap the old ones with shaky hands.

What will be behind these?

I finish the ones around his shoulders then torso and stare at the gashes across his back, to thin to be the claws of any dragon I know of. My hands fly up to cover my mouth in rigid horror as my brain and the wounds click in my head. "No." I breathe. The other riders take in sharp breaths Snotlout murmuring an "oh man".

Whip wounds.

He was _whipped._

The long gashes are red mostly scabbed over but the ones near his shoulders are leaking blood and pus. I move my hands away from my face trying my best to breathe but the air enters as choked silent breaths. "And now you know." Hiccup's voice whispers barely above a hiss. I resist the urge to leap back, _I thought he was unconscious!_ He sits up cross legged hugging his himself slightly as Toothless drops his head into his lap.

"Hiccup, I-I-" I stutter my voice getting stuck in my throat.

Hiccup looks up at me, dark green distant. He looks down at Toothless. "It's not your fault." He says quietly.

"Who's is it?" Snotlout demands his voice venomous. No, just no, who would be so cruel?

Hiccup remains quiet for several seconds running a hand over Toothless's head the scales moving beneath his gentle strokes. "Have you ever heard of the 'dragon conquer?'"

"The man that's ten feet tall?" Tuffnut says.

"With the strength of a dozen men?" Ruffnut offers.

"Can conquer a dragon with a single look." Fishlegs concludes.

Hiccup gives a stiff nod with a small amused huff, "That's the one. How many of you would believe me if I said that's me?" He asks softly.

My thoughts flash back to Dragon Island where Stormfly, Barf, Belch, Meatlug and Hookfang all tried to kill us. He trained them easily. He's the dragon conquer, odd as it is, that seems right. Judging by the other's thoughtful expressions I assume they're thinking along the same lines.

"What does this have to do with..this?" I say and gesture towards him. He purses his lips.

"Alvin wanted me to conquer his dragons, and I wouldn't. I couldn't. He wasn't pleased." Hiccup whispers the last part and I blink once, twice. Alvin, this was all Alvin. _That barbaric psycho_! Hiccup slams his hands together in a clap and I blink in surprise, "Well, enough about my sob story, milady if you would hand me those bandages, I'm sort of…" He trails of gesturing to where Toothless's head is happily resting in his lap.

I grab the white rolls of fabric and move towards him, Hiccup lifts out his hand to take it but I shove the arm down pulling the bandages out and start to wrap them around Hiccup's torso. He flinches slightly but doesn't protest.

"B-but, you're an Outcast, right?" Fishlegs asks and Hiccup laughs at that.

"I was an Outcast. I'm a traitor to my island and to yours." Hiccup says and I bite my lip moving upwards with the wrapping trying my best to keep it even. I just...this is ridiculous, I should want to kill him, I should feel the desire to strangle the pirate and toss him overboard with little remorse but judging by the small bits of information he's given us, I really don't think piracy was a choice, a last resolve of survival.

"We'll talk to Stoick, maybe we can get you a clean cut onto Berk." Fishlegs says.

Hiccup remains quiet.

….

With a heavy thump, the _Night Fury_ hits the dock of Berk; it's void of people almost like it was abandoned. I rub my temples slightly staring at the freezing cold island spread out before us. Toothless growls softly at the sight and Hiccup's eyes widen as he gets a good look at the isle. "I've been here before." He murmurs softly.

"Uh, yeah, you escaped from it, that's how we got into this mess." Ruffnut retorts dryly. Hiccup shakes his head.

"No, I mean..never mind." He says after a second. "Well, I'll just drop you off and be on my merry way." He says and starts to turn away from us but I grab his shoulder forcing him to stop moving. Not after everything he and we have been through ha, no. He's coming with us even if I have to drag him there myself.

"Not so fast, Freebird." I say and the coat around Hiccup's shoulders once again seems to slump in defeat.

He turns around, throwing his arms up, "Fine! But when I'm murdered for stealing a ship and kidnapping all of you, I will blame each of you for my death." He says and Snotlout folds his arms across his chest.

"Don't worry, we'll tell everyone you died heroically."

Toothless growls at that and Hiccup climbs onto his back, the Night Fury leaping the short distance from the boat onto the dock. I look back at Stormfly and wave her forward jumping from the boat onto the dock with a roll, no gangplank. We lost it along the way when Ruffnut and Tuffnut decided to Loki us. Hardly amusing. Irritating yes, funny no.

Stormfly lands behind me with a soft thump and Hiccup slides off of Toothless's back walking forward along the dock. The sun is well set in the distance marking day eight since we found him on the shore of 'the secluded beach' as the twins have named it.

I release a breath and move forward the other teens landing with heavy thumps behind us followed by their dragons. Our parents are going to strangle us, then our dragons, or maybe the other way around. I don't even want to know what Stoick is going to think. The more I re-think this the more it becomes obvious that this was a terrible idea.

Astrid breathe, you're a Hofferson. You're fearless.

We make it across the dock our dragons battle ready, Toothless more so, practically sitting on Hiccup, the pirate however seems oblivious to the close strides. "Does anyone else find it strangely nerving on the fact that Berk has become a ghost town?" Tuffnut asks suddenly behind us.

I yelp slightly and twist around looking back at him with wide eyes.

"Tuffnut." I hiss.

"What? Are we _trying_ to be sneaky?" Tuffnut asks receiving an elbow to his stomach from his twin. Tuffnut rubs the spot, "I take that's a yes."

We walk into the village and I stare around at the streets for a second barely having time to spot several people lurking in the shadow's before an echoing cry rings through the streets, "FIRE!"

I duck instinctively at the cry and several bola's fly over my head smacking into Stormfly. "Stormfly!" I cry in panic and race over to help her but a hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me back.

"Astrid!" Mom's voice sings the tone filled with relief. The air is alive with nets and Spitelout leaps onto Hiccup tackling him to the ground. Toothless hisses madly but like his rider is also tackled. The other dragons growl but can't escape their bonds.

"No! Stop!" I shout my voice mixing with the other teens protesting shouts. I struggle in my mother's grip trying to break her iron fingers. "Let me go!"

"Astrid! What has gotten into you!?" Mom demands and grips me tighter. Yes, I'm glad to see you too but can we reunite when you aren't trying to kill my dragon and friend?

Stoick shoves through the crowd looking at Toothless his eyes briefly flashing with surprise before he turns to Hiccup who is struggling in grip of Spitelout, now manacled and on his foot. Stoick's back turns to me and I can't see his expression but I see Hiccup's already pale skin pale.

No, no, no!

"Stop!" I plead.

"Let our dragons go!" Tuffnut shouts.

"You have no idea what you're doing!" Snotlout adds voice equally as high.

"Stop it!" Ruffnut yells.

"Oh Thor!" Fishlegs squeaks. Stoick turns looking at us.

"What has gotten into you? Have ya' gone mad? These are dragons!" Stoick says spitting out the word 'dragon'. No! They aren't what we think they are.

"No, you don't understand! We don't have to kill them!" I shout and Stoick stares at me with an expression that clearly says, 'she's crazy.' I'm not! I'm not!

Stoick turns towards Hiccup, "You did this." He says and gestures to the tied dragons, me, Snotlout the twins and Fishlegs.

Hiccup shakes his head, "Sorry mate, my hands are clean of this." Spitelout jerks his arm slightly and Hiccup hisses through his teeth.

"You're not welcome here, _pirate."_ Stoick snarls the word pirate coming off his tongue like venom. Hiccup's eyes widen and Stoick draws a sword from his belt. "Any last words?" Hiccup's lip remain shut firmly at the question.

"STOP!" I scream twisting harder in Mom's grip.

Hiccup looks up at me, eyes silently pleading with me to let it go. I can't! I won't just watch him die! I won't! Toothless growls and struggles under the Viking's pinning him.

Stoick raises the sword and Spitelout shoves Hiccup to his knees the pirates eyes shut as he bows his head. Time slows and I finally twist my arm from Mom's grip running towards him with purpose. Before I fully register what I'm doing I throw myself over Hiccup, time snapping back into focus. Stoick's sword stops less than an inch from my chest and I look up at him, "If you want to kill him, you have to kill me too."

"Us to!" Tuffnut adds racing forward towards us his sister at his side. Fishlegs and surprisingly Snotlout do the same and I steady myself looking at Stoick, challenging him with my eyes.

"Ruff, Tuff don't!" A voice rings through the air. Stoick stares at us with disgust before tossing his weapon to the side.

"You're no better than this pirate then." He says lowly and Hiccup pops up over my shoulder.

"Technically that's not really an insult-" Hiccup starts to say before Gobber shoves through the crowd breathless and panting.

"Stoick! I just got back from patrol with the other men, Outcasts." he rasps the last part and then steadies his breathing, "Just of the horizon looks like they've allied with some other giant tribe." Gobber finishes then looks over at us, "Oh, welcome back to Berk." He adds eyes lingering on Hiccup for several seconds.

"Thank you!" Hiccup calls and I shoot him a half glare.

Stoick's face flashes with unreadable emotions before he turns to the other Berkian's,"Gather the elderly and children and get them to the cove, everyone else gather your weapons and prepare for battle."

"Aye, Stoick."

"Wha, what about him?" A man asks and points and Hiccup.

Stoick stares at him for several seconds, "Release the dragons, toss that one in a cell. We'll deal with him after the attack."

My eyes widen slightly and I elbow Hiccup's ribs, "Take Toothless and go." I hiss and he looks at me bewildered.

"What?" He hisses.

"Take Toothless and go." I repeat grabbing the manacles on his wrists and yanking down with the panicked force I have the metal slides from his wrists as it was buttered. Hiccup races forward and grabs Inferno snapping the weapon open and anyone in his path leaps out of the way of the flaming weapon. He snaps it down on Toothless's bounds and rips the rope off of him everyone to shocked to do anything.

Hiccup swings onto Toothless's back and the duo leaps into the air, a faint scream in the wind indicating they've broken the speed of sound.

"Well, that's that." Spitelout says dryly.

"We'll have to do something with these five." A man says and Gobber puts a hand on Stoick's shoulder.

"After the attack, we're going to need every soldier we have." he says and tosses me an axe from who knows where. I grip the weapon in my hands staring at Stoick, after a heavy sigh he nods. I narrow my eyes and force my attention off of Stormfly and the other dragons as I prepare myself for the attack.

* * *

 **Author's Note: :( :( Ugh! I absolutely hate this chapter! I want to burn it with fire! No way I revised it was any better! I'm sorry guys. :(**

 **Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! :)**

 **Sorry for any spelling errors I missed. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

Chapter 8: This Was Berk

Hiccup,

Toothless's wings beat heavily as he glides across the air away from Berk, the other dragons and teens. My heart is in my throat, no words able to come out except raspy.

Berk and Outcast Island have a history of not liking each other but Alvin is attacking because I was on Berk. He's trying to wipe everything out. It's been hours since our departure from the island and I can't see anything but open ocean and the thick clouds shining down on us almost pitying.

What do I do now? Berk is probably under siege, it's been hours since we left.

It's not like I can waltz onto the island and ask, _'hey Alvin, you wanna be friends again?'_

Even as his son, I have high doubts that he would appreciate that very much. Son, I am that crazy Outcast's son. Well I was. Disownment generally changes the perspective on things. My mother died when I was younger four I think and Alvin just kind of gave up on family after her death. Not that I can blame him, I'm a pretty impossible person.

Toothless looks back at me as my shoulders tense. I can't believe I just left! I should have stood my ground, I wasn't thinking, am I ever thinking or am I destined to act like an insubordinate idiot for the rest of my life?

"AHH!" I yell in frustration punching the air as I fall back against Toothless's back. Toothless winces slightly giving a worried growl in my direction. I let out a long sigh letting my hands drop onto my chest.

"We have to go back." I say firmly after several moments of silence between us.

Toothless growls in clear disagreement _, 'Are you kidding! We almost died!_ ' he seems to argue.

"I know. But by abandoning them we're no better than Alvin." I say and Toothless gives a long sigh. I feel like echoing him but don't sitting up and grabbing the handle's to Toothless's saddle. He spreads his wings out and we snap backwards, Toothless twists heading back in the direction of Berk. He's been flying for hours, we should stop.

"Bud, i-if you're tired we can-" I start to say but Toothless growls a firm no looking back at me in disagreement and as if to defy me even further, picks up his easy pace. I sigh and roll my eyes slightly, "Well if you insist mate."

000o000

Toothless reaches the forest of Berk, hours later; the village unseen and blocked by trees from here. There isn't a sound as he lands not even birds chirping. My heart plummets to my feet and I swing off his back my foot and peg leg hitting the ground with a soft thud.

"Come on," I say quietly. Toothless and I move through the forest. I scan through the trees looking for Outcasts or anything else that will jump out at us but nothing does.

Something rising into the air catches my eye and I look up towards it my eyes wide as I see a thick trail of smoke joining the clouds. "No." I breathe before taking off in a run towards the village. How could I have let this happen!? Because of me and my stupidity this entire island is gone!

They never did anything!

My breaths come out as heaving gasps as I reach the village my steps stopping.

The buildings are ashes, smoke rising thickly into the air. A thick cloud of dust hangs over the air, char and battle stains across the ground, weapons sticking from wood, the bark hissing and popping as the few dying embers finish off their purpose.

Berk is gone.

Destroyed.

Burned.

Because of _me._

"No." I whisper my legs starting to fail me. I force the shakiness to the side and move forward through the streets the burning buildings getting worse the further down I go. It wasn't supposed to end like this!

Everyone is gone, dead most likely. How can I be such a stupid idiot!?

My knees give out and I hit the ground leaning against my heel and prosthetic. With a angered cry I grab Inferno and slam the weapon down onto the ground the stone cracking beneath the force. I grip the hilt as if it's my lifeline and lean against the sword closing my eyes.

What now?

What am I supposed to do?

I can't bring an entire island back to life.

It's a mess.

A hand rests on my shoulder after what feels like hours of leaning against the burning weapon; I whirl my eyes wide looking back at, "Astrid?" I ask with disbelief. Her clothing is tattered, a long burn running up her left arm, cheek bleeding heavily but very much alive. Before I fully register what I'm doing I leap to my feet and tackle her in a hug. She tenses but returns it, grip equally as tight as mine.

She pulls back and I spot Toothless standing in the background watching us but keeping his eyes on the buildings, "Where is everyone else?" I ask grabbing Inferno and ripping it from the ground.

Her eyes grow downcast, "Alvin took them."

My eyes widen, "Alvin took an _entire_ island?"

"No," Astrid says and glances out at the horizon her eyes distant. "Alvin wasn't the only one who attacked."

"What!?" I blurt. Who else would be with him.

Astrid looks back at me. "It was another man named Viggo Grimborne, they knew Berk and the weak spots, he took everyone." She explains and I curl my hand into a fist.

"How did you-"

"Stormfly. She protected me until she was captured."

"Oh." I say and look down at the ground.

Things were bad before but this, this is worse.

Toothless growls and I turn around looking back towards him as he stares at something, "Did you find something?" I ask and race towards him. Obviously, otherwise he wouldn't be growling to get my attention. Wow, Freebird, it's amazing how you get outsmarted time and time again. Shut up.

I stop as I reach Toothless and stare at what he is. My eyes widening as I quickly make up the moves placed across the board.

"What is that?" Astrid breathes looking over the board with me.

"Maces and Talons." I answer staring at the pieces scattered across the board, the two ships "sunken." Berk, that side is Berk and the other must be the Outcasts and this Viggo character.

Astrid's eyes sink, "I didn't even see this when I was searching for the others." She says and I stare at the pieces as Astrid picks up a broken piece, "What do you think it means?"

"It's a challenge." I say and frown, "Viggo and Alvin are obviously working together for something, but what?"

Astrid sighs and rubs her temples, "This is ridiculous. We're never going to get anywhere without a map or any clue. We don't even know if Alvin took Berk to Outcast Island." Astrid groans and my eyes widen as I look up at her. The map!

"That's it!" I exclaim and my hands scramble back towards my coat pocket. My fingers brush over the dozens of pieces of paper and I rip them from the pocket and fall to my knees spreading it across the ground.

Toothless pokes his head over my shoulder as Astrid leans down beside me. "This map, it was on the Night Fury. " I say and brush out the squiggles again.

"This is a giant mess of lines, Hiccup." Astrid says angrily.

"Relax, milady. If there's one thing you learn as a pirate it's that up, is always down." Astrid gives me a blank look.

"What does that even mean!?" She demands.

I smirk and shift the pieces of paper across each other starting to get a figure, "That the solution you're looking for isn't the first one you think it is." A cylinder looking object appears a name scribbled out in Alvin's horrible hand-writing at the bottom. Dragon Eye.

Alright well that didn't help in the slightest. I release an angry annoyed breath before crumbling the papers and stuffing them into my pocket. Astrid's shoulders slump and her posture seems to ring off defeat. My heart sinks even lower and I rest a hand on her shoulder, "Astrid, it's going to be okay." I say and she looks up at me.

"How do you know that?"

I tense at the sharp venom in her voice; I pull my hand back instinctively and curl my fingers inward staring at Toothless for several seconds as if he can give me the answer. Toothless coos softly before he nudges my shoulder as if going, 'wing it.' Why is that such a popular thing to do right now?

How do I know?

Instinct or just the need to make her feel better. I haven't known her for very long but she's a strong person, one who doesn't break down easily like this. Then again, watching your entire villages burned and your only family taken captive will make you uneasy. I let out a soft sigh, "I don't."

I get to my foot and lift out a hand to her, "Let's go get back your island milady." I say and Astrid purses her lips her hands wrapping tightly around herself as if it's keeping her intact before she sucks in a breath and takes my offered hand. I pull her to her feet and climb onto Toothless's back the Hofferson mounting on behind me.

Toothless leans down before he leaps into the air the wind rippling through his wings as we leave the burned island behind us, the remains of Berk.

000o000

Hours later, close to a day I finally spot Outcast Island in the distance.

Finally.

"Do you have a plan?" Astrid asks leaning over to look at me. I twist looking back at her. Well...no. But I have an idea to build up a plan and that's generally close enough.

"You distract Alvin as I look for the Berkians. We'll meet up at the arena in a few hours." I say and Astrid's eyes widen.

"You expect me to distract Alvin the Treacherous without a weapon?" She demands.

I shrug, "Well you can always dance."

Her clenched fist and my upper arm meet with a heavy force. I yelp slightly and rub the injured part, yup, that's going to bruise, "No then." I deadpan.

"Why don't you distract Alvin? You two obviously have a history." Astrid says and the desire to punch her arm rings through me but I resist my fingers curling around the saddle handle as Toothless tenses.

"Um, no thanks? Milady, have you ever been on Outcast Island before three days ago?" I ask and she pauses for a second an inward battle playing in her eyes before she sighs and shakes her head the movement seeming to frustrate her even further.

"No."

"Exactly. I grew up on it, if Berk is on it, I'll find it a lot faster than you will." I assure and Astrid grumbles something under her breath about stubborn idiot pirates before looking up at me. She didn't disagree so I claim that a success. Toothless banks right looping around the sea-stacks the thick black of the night blending in with his scales making us near invisible.

Toothless dives deeply and I look back at Astrid with a small smirk, "Hold your breath." I command and her eyes pop.

"What-?" She starts to demand before Toothless plunges into the ocean. I scan around the inky blackness for a second and Toothless looks back at me for a second. Astrid's hands curl around my upper body as she tries to stay attached to me and Toothless. Toothless moves forward towards the entrance of the caves leaking all around Outcast Island; a small maze of tunnels.

Toothless moves through the water swiftly and moves up before bursting through the top of the water breaking it into a small cave. Astrid and I take in gasping breaths of sweet air and I swing off of Toothless's back shaking water from my hair.

Astrid coughs several more times before wiping water from her eyes, "You could have warned me." She snaps. I raise and eyebrow and roll my eyes slightly.

"I did."

"That doesn't count-" She starts angrily before the sound of footsteps echoes through the tunnels, I slam a hand over her mouth cutting off her words.

"Do you hear that?" I ask softly moving back and she nods, "That is the sound of the soldiers coming this way. If they find us, they take us to Alvin. From there, he'll happily remove both our heads, be quiet, milady."

Astrid nods again and I remove my hand from her mouth, "It's just echoes, if we're lucky, they aren't nearby. Go right and follow the tunnel-take no turns you'll end up in Alvin's throne room." I say and Astrid nods yet again.

"Me and Toothless are going to take left, the only place I can think of big enough to hold an entire island is the arena." I say.

"And you're sure this will work?" Astrid asks, "I don't see how me distracting Alvin fits into this geinous scheme." Astrid adds dryly after another second. Well it-if Alvin does have the Berkian's, they could be dead. I don't want her to see that.

"With Alvin busy, that's one less thing I have to worry about now go!" I hiss and point towards the entrance to the tunnels in front of us. Astrid tenses for a second before she moves forward pausing the doorway.

"Hiccup, be safe."

"You too." I say quietly and she takes off down the tunnel silently. "Come on, bud." I say and Toothless moves forward at my side as I walk forward from our entrance heading right. Alvin generally has a few men on patrol down here, five or three on the good days, I'm pretty sure he doesn't know I know about them or he would have thought about adding a few more Outcasts. I'm just grateful he doesn't.

Toothless's ears are perked up as we move down the tunnel as quietly as we can. It smells oddly of rotting feet and a distinct faint odor of smoke I can't recall being here before. It's damp and cold but nothing unlike the usual. I hid Toothless among these tunnels after I found him.

My foot and a rock meet suddenly and I let out a silent surprised yelp as I start to tumble down. Toothless catches me with his head and shoves me upright. I give a soft sigh of relief, "Thanks bud." I whisper.

I keep a hand on his neck as we move forward and after an undocumented amount of time passes, Toothless and I break free from the tunnel into just behind the arena. I give a small breath of relief and grab Inferno with hand gripping the sword hilt tightly.

Outcasts are lined along the walls and I can hear a quiet murmur of voices ringing up. Yup, Berk.

Now all I have to do is smuggle an entire island off a island and grab Astrid and go.

Easy.

Ha.

"Okay Toothless," I say and turn towards the Night Fury, "we just need a way into the arena-" I start to say but a glint of metal catches my attention and I look up spotting the hole me and my other half had escaped from days earlier. I smirk. "And I think I just found one."

I swing onto his back and click my prosthetic into place watching the Outcasts for a second to makes sure we didn't catch their attention. Nothing. I pat Toothless's side slightly and point up towards the hole. He nods and leans down before leaping up towards the arena ceiling and through it landing with a soft thud on the ground. I slide from off of his back and scan around me at the Berkians watching us with small panic except four: the twins Fishlegs and Snotlout give relieved breaths.

"I'm here to help." I say quietly and they stare at me for several seconds before Stoick moves forward.

"Aren't you the reason we're in here?"

"I-" I start to defend for a second and my voice dies in my throat as I realize he's right. It is my fault they are here. Idiot, idiot, idiot…

Toothless lets out a low growl and I tense, "H!" Tuffnut hisses and I barely have time to process what he says before a sword point is pressed into my back.

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 **Author's Note: Cliffhanger! :)**

 **Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Okay! I totally forgot to do this so for whoever asked the teens are about 17 almost 18 in this and, OH MY GOODNESS THERE IS FIFTY PLUS REVIEWS ON THIS THANK YOU SO MUCH! :) :) :)**

 **Disclaimer I own nothing!**

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Chapter 9: Burn

Hiccup,

"And where do you think you're going, runt?" Alvin hisses. The blade digs into my back and my spine goes rigid as I try not to cry out.

"I was thinking away." I mutter and Alvin's hand smacks the back of my head. I flinch slightly and wince. Alvin lifts the sword to my neck and drags me back slightly. "Clearly you have other ideas."

"Shut it before I remove your head." Alvin snarls and presses his weapon closer to my throat causing me to lean back towards my captor. Toothless hisses lowly leaning into the ground looking ready to again pounce on Alvin.

"Don't be hasty Alvin." Another voice says and a man walks next to Alvin looking very much that he think's he's in charge but I seriously doubt that's the case. Viggo, this man must be Viggo. "We do need the dragon alive." Viggo states and I pale slightly.

"Why do you want Toothless?" I demand and lean back further from the blade pressed at my throat.

Viggo laughs softly, "Well who wouldn't want a Night Fury?" He asks and then pauses pulling out a golden brown cylinder I instantly recognize as the thing on the paper from the Night Fury. The Dragon Eye.

He turns looking back at me, "Ah, Hiccup Haddock, this round of Maces and Talons has been fun. I've never played against a pirate before." He says and I snort.

"Yeah? Well we cheat."

"Is that so?" Viggo asks rhetorically before moving towards the growling Night Fury seeming unconcerned but I can tell he's tense. "I need you to tell your dragon to project into the Dragon Eye." Viggo says without looking back at me.

"Or?" I ask. They'll kill me.

"You'll be lookin' for your head." Alvin hisses pressing the sword deeper into my throat. If you press that any deeper I'm going to be looking for me head.

"Right." I say and then pause. Where's Astrid? She was supposed to be distracting Alvin and if Alvin is here then-oh pure rainbows.

 _Pure_.

Alright, I need a plan I need-Inferno! My hands curl around the hilt of the weapon and before I really think about what I'm doing, I slam my peg leg down as hard I can onto Alvin's foot. The Outcasts grip falters on his sword and I click Inferno's latch swinging the blade up and smashing it against the blade of Alvin's sword. It flies from Alvin's grasp hitting the ground with a thick, heavy clatter. I pull away from Alvin's grip and break into a run racing towards Viggo and leap onto the man tackling him to the ground.

The Dragon Eye flies from his grasp and hits the ground with a soft thud and I swing Inferno forward smashing it down on the cylinder. Viggo shoves me off of him towards the Dragon Eye and I pick up the broken pieces of it smirking inwardly. I hope that wasn't terribly important.

"Oops." I offer at Viggo's furious look as he spots the broken pieces of the cylinder.

"You lummox." Viggo growls and I blink dropping the bits of the Dragon Eye onto the floor and stomp on it several times.

"You know what mate, in my defense it slipped from my fingers inconveniently landing under my foot, several times." I say and Viggo stares at me for several seconds his eyes nothing but murderous.

"You have no idea what you've done." He spits.

"Like you said; I'm a terribly clumsy idiot." I return.

"I declare this game over, Hiccup Freebird." Viggo growls and I let out a laugh.

"We're playing a game? What's rule number one then?" I ask and Viggo huffs but gives no answer a buff Viking stepping up next to him.

"Rule one: Destroy all pirates." He growls.

"Rule two: Ignore rule one." I say and the man draws his sword moving forward towards me and Toothless. Toothless hisses and Alvin's glare bores into the advancing man's head, as if sensing it, he stops.

"You got two choices here, 'iccup. You can either stay 'ere and train me dragons and I'll even let Berk go free; or you can die beside them." Alvin says.

Well, those are amazing options.

"I would rather die." I snarl deeply

"So be it." Alvin says and Toothless leaps on me as a wave of arrows are fired where I was a few seconds ago. My fingers scramble for Inferno before I roll out from under Toothless. My eyes widening.

"Toothless!" I shout and he looks up at me eyes unfocused. I scan him for a injury spotting an arrow lodged in his side. The urge to scream, throw up, and the need to throw something in frustration expands twenty times worse than it was before. This can't be happening, why now?

I put a hand on Toothless head, watching as he jerks slightly from it. I grasp the arrow shaft and count silently to three before I rip the arrow from out of him. Toothless jerks and I stare at the arrow amazed the head came out. Arrowheads aren't supposed to come out, they're supposed to stay in so you have to dig for it. I crawl out from under Toothless's wing and a hand grasps my hair pulling me to my feet. I grimace in pain and Alvin lifts me off the ground.

"You really are pathetic." He growls and I grip the arrow so hard it snaps. "Take the dragon." Alvin yells and I look at Toothless before Outcasts and dragon hunters start moving forward.

"What!? _No_!" I shout and elbow him in the chest; he releases me and I start to race forward to Toothless before something grabs both of my arms and drags me back my shoulders jerking painfully. I twist around looking back at Savage as he smirks and pulls me further away from Toothless as they mussel him and start to drag him off with ten plus hunters and five Outcasts.

"Viggo prepare the fleet as I deal with all...this." Alvin says and gestures in my direction. I give an irritated breath.

"You just gestured to all of me." I say dryly and Savage whacks the back of my head and I cringe slightly. Ow.

"Shut it." Alvin growls.

Viggo sheathes his sword, "Very well, come big brother." Viggo says and he and another man leave the arena, a few feet behind Toothless and his captors. I struggle against Savage's death grip trying to break free and get to Toothless.

"Alvin! Please I'll do anything just don't hurt Toothless!" I shout and Alvin looks back at me.

"Gag him. We've all heard those lies before." He says and I struggle harder in Savage's grip before he releases on of my arms and gabs me in-between my shoulder blades. I flinch my back going rigid ow, ow, ow!

"Hey! You leave Hiccup-"Snotlout starts angrily.

"Shut it!" Alvin yells looking over at the teen as Savage wraps a gag around my mouth, poking at my back any time I start to struggle again. It's harder to hide the wounds from those who inflicted them.

"Savage!" Alvin yells and Savage pushes me forward and I stumble for a second before I walk letting Savage guide me forward hearing Alvin's instructions to the Outcasts and dragon hunters in the arena: "When you see an explosion, kill them all."

Savage leads me forward for a little before he kicks me to my knees. I hit the ground my hands managing to hit the ground in a crawling position. I sit up and rip the gag off my mouth scanning to see we're a while past the village, near a store house. I rub my forearms and Alvin looks down at me, "I wonder how proud Stoick is that his son is bowing to an Outcast." Alvin says and I scowl looking up at him.

"What do you mean?" I demand. I am Alvin's son. Not Stoick's.

"Well fifteen years ago, I took you from your father, surely it was mentioned for the amount of time you spent here." Alvin says. It wasn't. I wasn't on Berk long enough for anything like that to be mentioned. "Oh don't look so surprised, _mate._ " Alvin mocks and I look at him my brain slowly wrapping around this. "You know, it must feel awful knowing that everyone you care about is going to die because of you." Alvin says and I stare up at him, my eyes fixed, "Because, your girlfriend and dragon are in that storage house and when I say so, Savage will pull the trigger and all the Zippleback gas in their will explode, along with those two." Alvin says.

I blink rapidly looking at Alvin panic swirling through me. He's kidding. He has to be kidding. Toothless and Astrid can't die! Savage grips my arm pulling my to my feet. I hear a jingle and slip my hand into Savage's pocket picking out the key ring before looking at Alvin and smirk.

I rip away from Savage and race up the hill to the storage house, reaching the door in less than a minute, "It won't do anything boy! You don't even have the key." Alvin yells, "You might as well go trip off another cliff again!" Alvin adds.

I look back at him lifting up the key ring and smirk Savage's eyes widen, "For your information I _jumped."_ I correct and shove the key into the locked door. "Two: you really should know by know; I am the best pickpocket in the archipelago." I say and shove open the doors to the prison and race into the dark building slamming the doors shut behind me.

I scan around myself in the dark building immensely glad that the dragon hunters and Outcasts are gone. My eyes jump over the blurry shapes, "Hiccup?" A weak voice asks and I whip my head around looking at Astrid as she looks up at me. Her hands are tied together the rope wound around something I can't make out in the inky blankness.

"Astrid!" I cry relief flooding through me. I spot Toothless's glowing green eyes less than a second later and give a breath of relief moving towards Astrid, "Are you okay? What happened?" I demand and she cringes slightly.

"I went to distract Alvin like you said; he didn't appreciate that very much." Astrid says and winces her fingers curling around each other. I purse my lips and my shoulders slump as I start to scan around for something to cut Astrid's ropes.

"I'm sorry, you should have just left me to die on the beach." I murmur quietly and spot a dagger a few feet away. I grab it and move back towards Astrid grabbing her forearms and lifting them up so I can cut down the middle of the bonds.

As soon as they fall lax at my feet Astrid's arm swings and violently punches me on the arm. "Ow!" I yelp, "What-" I start before she leans forward and grips me in a hug.

"I didn't think anyone was coming from me! I didn't know where you were or-what was that?" She pulls away her eyes wide as a clicking sound rings through the air. Zippleback gas and the spark my eyes widen and I move towards Toothless resting a hand on his head.

"Hey bud, how you holding up?" I ask softly.

"Zippleback gas?" Astrid murmurs quietly in confusion.

"We have to get out of here. Alvin's about to blow it up." I say and don't look back at her but can almost see her blue eyes widening. I grab the muzzle wrapped around Toothless's mouth and rip it off. Toothless growls happily still looking disoriented but licks me his saliva running down my front.

I groan in disgust, "Toothless."

"Hiccup…" Astrid says warily as the gas cloud becomes thick enough it's making me dizzy. Taunting you before the end. I turn towards her and then look back at Toothless, he can only carry one person; he's to injured to carry both of us. Only one person is going with him as the other tries to get out of here, I'd say we have about twenty seconds.

"Astrid, get onto Toothless." I command and reach blindly for her hand. I grasp her wrist and pull her towards the dragon shoving him onto her back. "I'll be right behind you." I say and she nods.

"Wait, aren't you coming on Toothless?" She asks and I shake my head.

"He isn't fully healed yet, he can't carry two people." I explain quickly. Astrid stares at me skeptically both her hands wrapped around her middle as she tries to think.

"Hicc-" She starts.

"Just _GO!_ " I yell and point towards the door. Toothless stares back and me knowing full well what I'm doing. I beg him silently with my eyes for him to go along with it and he stares at me for several seconds before he leaps forward towards the exit I see the spark light and start to race towards the exit even though it's useless.

If they'd left half a second later this would have been them as well. At least their safe, Astrid will take care of Toothless and he her.

Something grabs my shoulders abruptly and shoves me to the ground as the blast goes off. The wave of heat heats me like a wall my skin wanting to curl inward as the fire bites at it. I curl in on myself waiting for the heat to die down enough for me to make an escape.

A hand grabs my forearm and drags me forward from the burning building. I cough heavily as we break into open air, my lungs giving a heavy sigh of relief. I open my eyes blinking rapidly staring up at the man who rescued me a thank you on my lips but it dies as I recognize the man my eyes widening as large as they can go,"Alvin?"

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 **Author's Note:... =)**

 **Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Thanks Buddy, See You In Valhalla

Hiccup,

Alvin grabs my arm dragging me forward from the burning building as I stumble next to him my mind spinning. What is going on? Alvin normally-will...would have been perfectly content leaving me to die in that stupid storage house. So why did he save me?

After we're about ten feet from the building Alvin stops and I rip my hand from his grasp looking up at him shaking my head slightly with disbelief. "Are you 'kay?" Alvin asks pinching some sparks in his beard out.

Am I okay _? Am I okay_? Where was this sudden change of heart three years ago?

I give a brisk nod anyway despite the internal battle going on inside of me, "Why did you…" I trail off the words, "Alvin" and "Rescue" sounding weird together.

Alvin seems to get the message, he pauses for a second before answering, "There's nothing more important to me than you."

I let out a dry laugh, hard to tell. I shake my head back and forth softly.

"Sorry?" I ask.

"'Iccup, I know this doesn't change anything but I'm sorry." Alvin says and the desire to laugh again builds up in my throat.

"Mate, you're going to have to do a lot more than apologize to make up for what you did to me and Toothless." I say and grind my teeth together my fingers curling into fists. Maybe I should just make a run for it. I'd have better survival rates.

"'Iccup, I'm tryin' to change." Alvin says and I study his face for a second watching the almost pleading look in his eyes. This is crazy, he's… _Alvin._ Yet I can't deny the silent truth. He may not be lying but that doesn't give me a reason to trust him.

"Prove it." I challenge softly my voice coming out as more of a growl. The thick smoke rises into the air from the blast heading towards the sky and Alvin's eyes flash for a second.

"Fine." He says and points in the direction of the arena, "Everyone from Berk is in there. The single was that blast they're all about to be sliced to pieces." ALvin says and my eyes widen looking over at it. That's the only place Astrid or Toothless would have gone.

 _No!_

"Why are you telling me this? I already knew that." I say and my fingers dig into my palms. I didn't.

"Because if I give the word they'll stop. If I do th'at would it prove-" Alvin starts.

"No." I say firmly. "You may not be trying to kill me, but that doesn't sends wave of happy rainbows because you're here." Alvin shoots me a pleading glare and I stare at it for several seconds. What is he trying to..never mind. When Alvin doesn't voice a reply I take off running towards the arena ignoring the various injuries stinging at the movement.

I don't think I'm ever going to be able to properly heal. There's a second before I hear the heavy footfalls of Alvin behind me.

I reach the arena in under five minutes, my eyes quickly jumping over the Outcasts and dragon hunters moving towards the Berkians swords and axes drawn. Astrid and Toothless quickly jerk their heads up at my entrance and a wave of relief floods through me as I see their alright, I mean, properly frustrated at the advancing men but not dead.

"STOP!" Alvin roars as he shoves into the arena behind me.

The Outcasts look up at their leader in shock several weapons clattering to the floor. The dragon hunters spare him a glance.

"Sir?" A Outcast asks in surprise.

"I said stop." Alvin snarls walking forward towards the resistant ones. The dragon hunters and Outcasts pull back out of fear or surprise I can't tell. The Berkians stare at me and Alvin for several long seconds in disbelief and shock.

"This isn't what Viggo said." A dragon hunter mutters and Alvin smacks him over the head with a axe I don't know where came from.

"Do you think I ca're what that vapid man 'as to say?" Alvin draws sarcastically to the unconscious man.

"Oh good," Tuffnut says breaking the awkward silence by making it worse, "for a second I was actually sure you were going to-wait, did you just give an order not to kill?" Tuffnut asks looking up at Alvin mid sentence. "Weird."

Alvin grabs the nearest dragon hunter by the throat, "Where is Viggo now?" He demands. The dragon hunter's eyes widen and the sword slips from his hands and someone else grabs it, I don't pay attention to that trying to mentally urge Alvin to not strangle the man.

"He's at the docks…" The hunter gasps and Alvin tosses him to the side looking at the rest of the dragon hunters about ten men.

"Go join your leader before I have the Outcasts slice you in half." Alvin hisses and the men stare at the Berkians, me then the Outcasts. Deciding Alvin is serious they grab their unconscious comrade and the nearly unconscious one and drag them off quickly rushing from the arena.

"Release Berk and give them some ships to head back to Berk." Alvin commands after the dragon hunters are a good distance from the arena.

Several jaws drop including Astrid. She stares at me for several seconds before mouthing, _"What did you do?"_

I smirk and wrap my coat around my shoulders tighter.

"Sir?" The same Outcast as before asks, Gritt if I remember right or Lars.

"Follow the dragon hunters and escort them from the island." Alvin says after a second before laughing slightly. I release a breath watching the Berkian's eyes leap back and forth, Astrid and Toothless's staying locked to me.

I let out a soft laugh the humor dying as a blade shoves through my stomach, my eyes widen all breath escaping me before the blade withdraws. A voiceless scream leaves my lips before my legs give out and I start to fall forward.

"Hiccup!" A voice yells in panic but I can't place who it is. The world spins and I brace myself to hit the ground but I smash into Toothless's neck who is suddenly there. I can't focus on anything and my breathing starts coming out as ragged gasps. My consciousness starts to fade, this is the end.

I tried.

And failed.

I open my eyes and stare at Toothless's murmuring a soft apology and feeling my death grip on his scales starting to slip, "Thank you for everything buddy, see you in Valhalla." I murmur to him before the world goes black.

000o000

Astrid,

"Hiccup!" Alvin shouts looking at the teen as he slides from Toothless's neck hitting the ground below him.

My eyes widen as I look up behind him, "Stoick?" Gobber whispers in shock. My hands snap over my mouth in horror as I stare at the chief- _my_ chief standing behind Hiccup a sword in hand, a dragon hunter sword a smug expression on his face _._

 _NO!_

How could he!?

Alvin stares at Hiccup before he whirls around towards Stoick, "What did you do?" he hisses even though both chieftains are full aware on what Stoick did.

"I solved the problem, removed it from the root." Stoick answers glaring down at Hiccup's crumbled bleeding form. Toothless hisses lowly at the words looking torn between blasting Stoick from Earth or staying with Hiccup."In this case, is him." Stoick says and points his stained blade down at the young adult. Toothless growls lowly a blast building in his throat but there's no need.

Drawing a sword I didn't know was on his person, Alvin leaps forward and smashes it onto Stoicks, "You fool!" Alvin hisses. They begin to move forward and I slip away from my village heading towards the pirate begging all that is good in this world he's still alive.

"I killed your son, like you did to mine." Stoick says and I look up at them in shock. I didn't know Alvin killed Stoick's son, the tale goes that Alvin took him back to Outcast Island with him...oh no! No, no, no!

Alvin shoves against Stoick's blade and the two men leave the arena Alvin hissing something so low I barely hear it: "That was not my son, that was YOURS!"

My heart sinks lowly at Stoick's reply:"Good, I wouldn't have wanted him as a son anyway."

Oh no! Please no!

I drop to my knees and Toothless moves to the side growling mournfully as Hiccup's fingers slip from his scales. Please, no, no, no.

Hiccup is Stoick's son.

Stoick just stabbed his son. Judging by the way he reacted, I doubt he's very mournful about it.

Why is fate so cruel?

I take Hiccup's hand into my own trying to find a pulse. "Hiccup! Hiccup! Stay with us!" I plead and feel a weak pulse it's slowing. I twist around, "Somebody help him!" I beg my voice getting caught in my throat with sobs.

Gothi shoves her way to the front of everyone watching in horror staring at the heir. Gothi shoves her way next to me and rests two fingers on Hiccup's neck before nodding slightly. My fingers curl tighter as she moves forward.

"Is he going to be okay?" I ask softly not trusting my voice to go any higher.

Gothi doesn't give an answer before ripping out a bag of medical supplies and gently starting to work on his injuries.

"'Iccup!" Alvin yells racing into the arena stopping at the group that's gathered around Hiccup's pale form. Toothless spares him a glance but I don't look up at the man keeping my focus on Hiccup.

"Where's Stoick?" Gobber asks as the red haired cheif doesn't show his face. Alvin growls.

"He's dead." He says without emotion. What? I force myself to think about that later returning me attention to the stabbed teen in front of me.

Oh, if you die pirate, I will drag you back from Valhalla so I can kill you again.

The world passes as if in a blur, time slipping by but I don't move from his side, Stormfly curling up behind me as Gothi finally leaves the teen to rest saying he's got about a fifty fifty chance. Please do not die. I beg silently to him.

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 **Author's Note: Heh, in the original it took place in about a week, currently in this story its been about a month since Astrid and the other riders found Hiccup on the shore. :) Next chapter should be up in about a minute. :)**

 **Please review**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Last chapter! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

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Chapter 11: Breathe Again

Nagging.

Something is bugging me from my restless sleep-unconscious whatever it is. I blink several times a wooden ceiling coming into focus. Huh, I could have sworn the last place I was in was the arena with the battle and Toothless, Astrid the stab and...oh my Thor!

I jerk into a sitting position wincing deeply as pain shoots up my middle. Two large hands grab my shoulders and gently shove my back to the bed. I blink rapidly looking up at the figure.

Alvin.

What?

"W-what are you doing here?" I stutter my voice hoarse.

Alvin sighs and Toothless sitting at the edge of the bed asleep perks his head up happily, trotting over the bed the wooden frame creaking heavily at his weight but managing to hold. He nudges my side and I pat his head self consciously, "I'm happy to see you too." I murmur quietly to him.

I half sit up again, leaning over at the waves of pain shooting through me but managing to not yell out. Toothless curls up behind me and I rest a hand on his head leaning back against his side staring at Alvin expectly.

"I….I'm making sure you're a'right." Alvin says and I can't stifle a snort as it builds up in my throat.

Making sure I'm alright, that-that's rich.

"Yeah, and the sky is purple." I drawl.

Alvin is quiet at the comment.

"'Iccup, I know you don't trust me and won't for a long time but I'm sorry." Alvin says firmly and I blink. What? "I'm sorry I was such a terrible father. Can we start over? We can be a family, for real this time." Alvin says firmly and my eyes widen.

He's kidding right?

I mean, this is crazy.

After everything he did...and besides, "What happened to the 'I'm the son of Stoick' thing?" I ask quietly.

Alvin's fingers drum over each other, "He's the one who stabbed ya." Alvin says after a hesitation. My breath fails to enter my lungs for a second. My _parent_ stabbed me!?

"Oh," I murmur.

Toothless shoves under my hand begging for my attention. I rub my hand over his scales half heartedly trying to process the words. I am officially an orphan. "What about Viggo?" I ask and Alvin snorts punching a clenched fist into his open palm.

"He's taken 'are of."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not 'ure. Savage took him and his lunatic brother. They'll get what they deserve." Alvin snarls the last part and I wince slightly my fingers going lax on Toothless's head. Well great.

"And Berk?" I ask. Thor, Hiccup, you are just full of questions right now aren't you?

Alvin gives a smirk, "They're alive and helping with the repairs."

"Oh," I say, gathering my thoughts. Right, Berk is currently a little burned to return to immediately. There's a few minutes of silence between us. I should accept the offer from Alvin, but something keeps tugging at me a nagging doubt that says this is just another trap. But hey, I am a pirate and up is always down.

"I'll stay here." I say and Alvin's head snaps towards me.

"Y-you accept?" He asks with wide eyes.

"You made me an offer I couldn't refuse, mate." I say and lightly punch him on the arm. I swing my legs off the side of the bed my prosthetic hitting the floor boards with a soft ting.

"Where are ya' goin'?" Alvin asks and I shrug looking up at him.

"I'm going to find the rest of my crew mate." I answer and Toothless hops off the bed next to me. I need to make sure Berk really isn't murdered before I can trust Alvin. I make a move to sit up and a wave of sharp pain rings through me, I grind my teeth together and I'm about to force myself to stand anyway before the door is thrown open, Astrid and the other riders bursting inside.

"How is he-Hiccup you're up!" Astrid exclaims and rushes towards me wrapping her arms around me in a quick hug before pulling back and punching me hard across the arm.

"Ow!" I yelp and grab the attacked spot, "W-what was that for? Is it always going to be this way because I-" I start to say before Astrid grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me towards her, kissing me on the lips. My eyes widen slightly and she pulls back smirking, "-could get used to it, milady."

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Fishlegs exclaims.

"Yeah, you really had us going there H." Tuffnut adds.

I smirk and pat Toothless's head grinning, "Pirate mate, can't resist the dramatic calls."

They say that if you try hard enough you can fly.

And it's true.

You spread your wings out and take to the sky, even with holes or if your flight is jerky, you're still flying. Don't give up hope yet, it's not over. Steal your freedom if you have to because; the battle for freedom isn't over yet.

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 **Author's Note: THANK YOU FOR READING THIS! YOU ARE AMAZING! SORRY FOR KILLING YOUR EARS! :)**

 **Please review!**


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